New Love's Awakening
by Proud to be an X-Nerd
Summary: Something or someone is after Rogue as an ancient force awakens to lay claim to the young mutant. But an even older one is rising to the challenged of protecting her, though he dosn't know it yet. Can the New Love Rogue has found save her from her fate?
1. Getting Away

I don't own the marvel characters. All rights of these characters background goes to the makers of marvel. The story however, is mine and mine alone. And I reserve the right to this story line and all story lines of or relating to this set up.

I wanted to start up a romance in the X-men that no one has heard of. So I made up a few characters of my own. This one is between Rogue and a mystery guy (You will learn about him as the story continues.) This is a one time story. But if I get some interested feed back on it, I will continue with this new character.

This is a mixture of Evolution and the original comics/comic shows (Not to mention a bit of my own spice added to the mix).

**_New Love_**

**Getting Away**

Rogue leaned toward the mirror a little more, bracing her hip against the edge of the sink. Outside the bathroom door she could hear the sounds of the others waking up. A soft sigh broke through her lips. She had been hoping to get out of the Mansion before any of the others woke up.

She finished putting on her makeup, running a comb quickly through her short, brown hair. Too quickly actually, she winced as it pulled on the tangles. As soon as she was done, she opened the door to the bath room, sticking her head out to see if anyone was in the hallway. The coast looked clear, for the moment.

She moved quickly past the doors of her teammates. Her eyes moved from door to door, searching for any sign that they might be opening. None of them did, and she let out a relieved breath as she reached the stairs. Again checking to make sure no one was around, she slipped into the kitchen.

She browsed through the contents of the fridge, looking for something she could eat on the way to school. She settled on an apple and a roll left over from last night. Putting them in the pocket of her jacket, she moved to the sink for a glass of water. Gulping that down, she headed for the front door.

"Up a little early aren't ya Ro?" came a gruff voice from behind her. "Seem a little anxious to get to school"

Rouge whirled around to see Logan sitting on the window seat bench, open newspaper in his lap, watching her.

She adopted a relaxed, 'whatever' stance before she answered him.

"I figured I'd get a head start, before everyone else. Is that a crime now?" Her voice had an edge to it. She was SO tired of everyone getting into her business. She just wanted them to butt out!

One of Logan's bushy eyebrows lifted a fraction of an inch, his only reaction to her tone.

"Guess not. Just never took you for the 'hurry off to school type'." He picked his paper back up and continued reading.

Rogue shook her head as she left the kitchen, a little smile on her face. Of all the different people who lived here in the X-mansion, Logan was probably her favorite. He never seemed to pry into her, or any of the other's, lives at all. That was a major relief.

She walked outside, quietly shutting the door behind her, as she heard Kitty and Bobby coming down the stairs. Her eyes moved from the garage and then down the long drive way, contemplating the long walk to Bayville High.

The smile on her face grew a little. She had gotten her Drivers License a week ago, so she knew she did not have to walk. It was such a relief not to always have to hitch a ride with Scott or Jean.

She opened the doors to the garage, and climbed into one of the four jeeps that were kept there. She started up the engine, drove down to the gates, and slipped out onto the road. She resisted the urge to speed all the way to the school.

Part of her wondered why she felt like she had to run away all the time. But sometimes, things just seemed as if they where closing in on her.

She just needed to get out.


	2. First Sight

**First Sight**

Almost no one was on the school grounds this early, Rogue noted. But she did not really care. She had not come here to socialize with any of her fellow classmates.

After parking the jeep, she walked around to the bleachers. Climbing to the higher levels she sat down. She closed her eyes, breathed in deep breaths, trying to calm the worry and frustration that was boiling up inside of her. She did not know why she was feeling this way. She had been with the X-Men for over three year now, and everything had seemed to be going fine. She hated school, but home life was good. And she did enjoy the training that they did. But for the past few days, things had felt different.

It wasn't anything anyone was doing to her. They all seemed to accept her, none of that had change. She could feel no difference in their attitudes toward her. So all this must have been in HER head. But that did not make it any easier. She still felt upset and worried, like she knew something bad was going to happen. But she was powerless to stop it.

And Rogue hated to feel powerless, under any circumstance. Not to mention the fact that she had started having these weird dreams. She could never remember what they had been about when she woke up, but that did not keep them from plaguing her every night. She would jump out of bed feeling like someone was after her, someone who was trying to hurt her. She just didn't know who they were, or how to stop them.

She heard the sound of laughter and talking coming from the school's yard, followed by the sound of the class bell ringing. Her eyes snapped open and she ran for the building. She had not thought that this much time had passed! Now she would have to run all the way there to keep from being late. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw an old blue truck pull into the parking lot. As its owner got out, something in the back of her mind twitched. Something about the stranger caught her attention. But she just shook her head, ignoring that feeling as she ran for the doors.

Pouring on the steam, she made it to the doors just as the last of the students where walking in. Pushing through the mass of human flesh in front of her, Rogue manage to get to her locker, and then to her homeroom just in time. Moving to her desk, she settled her papers and prepared to face the long day ahead of her.

She glanced up at the sound of Kitty's laugh. She was talking to Kurt about something as they made their way to their own desks, which where a row up from where she sat. Rogue's eyes went back to putting her things in some semblance of order so she could at least find what she needed.

She was so intent upon what she was doing that she did not notice the person standing by her desk. She heard someone clearing their throat, but she just ignored it and continued on with her task.

Then, she heard a soft, deep voice from up above her asking,

"Ummm, excuse me, but is this desk open?"

Rogue finally lifted her head with a sigh of impatience. The sound of it died before it left her mouth, her eyes open wide.

Standing beside her desk was someone she had never seen before. He was tall, probably 6'5'' at least. His hair was a rich brown that was extremely thick and glossy-looking. He had a strong chin and high cheek bones. His skin looked as if he spent a lot of time in the sun, a dark tan that reminded her of the beach. Blue eyes the color of the sky regarded her under slightly bushy eyebrows. They were framed by black lashes that seemed to move very slowly whenever he blinked. He was wearing a white polo shirt and jeans that seemed to pick up on every well toned muscle in his body. He was the most hansom guy she had ever seen in her life.

It took her a moment to fully grasp the fact that he had asked her a question. She tried to make her throat work so she could answer him, but found that impossible. Finally she managed to nod her head, hoping that would indicate the right answer to him. Luckily, it did. He nodded back at her and took a seat in the desk next to her. She wondered vaguely how he could manage to fold his huge frame into the chair. It seemed totally inadequate to fit his size. But somehow, he accomplished it.

He turned back to her after he had sat down, and her heart stopped as he smiled at her. His smile seemed to hold its own light and she felt her body start to tremble. He leaned a bit closer as if to say something to her, but just then the teacher came in and called the class to attention. He gave her one last, brilliant smile before turning his eyes to the front of the room.

She was both sad and relieved that he had not said something. Sad because she had wanted to hear his voice again, more then she wanted anything else at that moment. But she was relieved because she did not think she could have said anything comprehensible back to him.

She realized that she had been just staring at him like a deer in the headlights or a little love struck child. Her face burned with humiliation and she buried her face in her book.

She felt like such an idiot!


	3. Hello

**Hello**

Rogue did not hear much of anything that was said during homeroom. She spent the entire time trying to watch the stranger without him seeing her. He seemed to notice that he was being watched after a while. He would rub the back of his neck and then turn slightly in his seat, as if looking for something. At which point, she, would quickly turn her head back to Mrs. Bale up front and pretended to be paying close attention to what she was saying.

At the end of homeroom, something their teacher said caught Rouge's full attention. She was just about to dismiss the class when she looked down at her papers and spoke again.

"Oh, and class, I almost forgot. We have a new student here at Bayville." Her squeaky voice rose and fell in pitch as she spoke. "Will that student please stand up for a moment and tell us your name?"

All heads, including Rogue's, turned as the young man she had been watching rose from his seat. Rogue could tell that he did not want all this attention. His muscles were tense and he turned red as he stood up. Rogue felt for him. No one wants to be made a spectacle of on their first day of school. He kept his eyes on the front of the room as he spoke. This time, his voice was not as soft. It had a strong tone that carried to every corner of the classroom, though it did not seem loud.

"Hello, my name is Thomas Rogers. I transferred from out of state." those where the only words he spoke, before nodding politely to the teacher and sitting back down. But the effect on the room was VERY obvious. Every girl there was watching him with eyes the size of plates. Some with there mouths hanging open, including Kitty's. As Rogue looked at them, she wondered if she had looked so stupid when he had spoken to her. _Had her mouth hung open like that too?_ She felt her face turning hot and red all over again and she hid her face in one of her books.

Now she felt ten times as stupid as before.

Thomas. She'd never liked that name before now.

As soon as homeroom was dismissed, Rogue rushed strait to her next class. After the way she had acted, she did not think she could stand running into him. She settled into her Science desk, keeping one eye on the door. What if he was in this class too? She was sure she would have a heart attack and die right there. But as the rest of the students filed into the room, she saw that he was not among them. She tried to force relieved feelings into her brain, telling herself that maybe now she could get some work done. But as class started up, she knew she was WAY mistaken. She just could not stop thinking about him! No matter how hard she tried to focus on what there teacher was saying, she could not get her mind off him.

As her Science class ended, she moved down the hall to her next class. For a few minutes, she forgot completely about Thomas as she thought about the class she was going to. Math. She hated math with a passion, always had. Unconsciously, her steps slowed a little as she approached the door. As if her entire body protested the thought of sitting through an hour of the dreaded subject. Half the things they wanted you to learn were never really ever USED in the real world. And yet, a quarter of her grade evolved around her math scores. Sometimes she wished she could meet the people who had invented this stuff and do….…. well….. Something to them.

She was so deep in thought of possible punishments she could inflict them that she was not paying attention to where she was going. Someone stopped in front of her and she ran right into them; almost making her drop what she was carrying. Regaining her balance, her eyes flashing in anger, she looked up to give the person a piece of her mind. And her throat closed off right then. For there, standing three inches away, looking down with an apologetic smile, was Thomas Rogers.

Standing there, looking right at her. Smiling at HER!

She could not seem to catch her breath, so she just held it. Then she realized that she had better say something before she looked like a complete idiot AGAIN.

"Umm… I'm… I'm sorry. I… sh-should have been watching where I was going." her voice came out squeaky and small. The sound reminded her of the mice in cartoons. She felt the heat rising in her face. Not just with embarrassment, but also anger. She hated not being in control of herself like this. Why did this guy have such an effect on her? She had never felt like this around anyone. Not even when she was around Scott did she feel this self-conscious.

Her thoughts were broken into when she realized he was talking. She expected him to laugh, or to try and get away from her as fast as possible. That was what she would have done in his place. But he didn't. His words were spoken with the same gentle, firm voice that he seemed to always use. Only this time, there was a bit of an apology in it.

"Please, don't apologize. I wasn't looking where I was going either. I did not mean to trip you. I'm sorry." There was a true sincerity in the way he said it, that Rogue knew he was not just pretending. For some reason, that made her feel very happy.

"My name is Thomas, by the way. What is yours?" he continued.

Rogue opened her mouth to answer him, when the next bell rang. The people around them began pushing to get to class. He glanced at the door, then back at her, his face holding a rueful look.

"Rogue" she called out, "My name is Rogue." their eyes met and his face lit with a smile. He waved a quick farewell as they were pushed apart by the crowd. Rogue realized that the look on his face mirrored her own.

Her face brightened with what must have been one goofy grin; she made her way into her classroom. Suddenly, math did not seem so bad and grueling after all.


	4. Lunch Time

I don't own the marvel characters. All rights of these characters background goes to the makers of marvel. The story however, is mine and mine alone. And I reserve the right to this story line and all story lines of or relating to this set up.

**Lunch Time**

The lunch room was crowded as always by the time Rogue got there. None of the food looked at all appetizing. As she made her way down the line, she looked out over the people sitting near by. She saw Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Allison and Bobby. Kitty caught sight of her, and started waving, Rogue slowly made her way over to their table. Taking a seat, Allison smiled gently at her. She smiled back slightly before going back to regarding her food, if it was indeed food. Her opinion of it was not helped by the fact that Kurt and Bobby were talking about what they thought the food resembled, or the fact that Jean and Elizabeth seemed to be getting greener and greener as lunch went on.

Rogue did not pay them any attention until she heard Kitty mention Thomas. She did not look up from her plate, but she was listening with both ears.

"Anyway, he is the cutest guy you have ever seen! I mean like, beyond adorable. I don't think that there is any guy on the planet that could even compare." her eyes turned toward the guys at the table and she blushed, "Sorry Scott, Kurt. I didn't mean that as an insult. But he was just soooooo amazing." her eyes took on a dreamy cast and she sighed loudly as if for emphasis.

"Hey!" Bobby spoke up. "What about me. You only apologized to Scott and Kurt! I think I'm a pretty hansom fellow myself." he leaned back, running his fingers through his own hair, trying to look sexy.

Kitty snapped out of her dreamy reverie and eyed Bobby. Never one to pass up a chance to torment him, she grinned and then laughed.

"Yeh right Bobby. You could not compete with Thomas Rogers in your wildest dreams!" she continued laughing as the others at the table tried to hide their own smiles. Bobby tried to look hurt, but did not quite make it. Rogue could tell that he was not the least bit perturbed by Kitty's playful statements. After living with one another for a large portion of their lives, they had all learned to take a joke from each other.

Rogue rolled her eyes at them, trying to look like she didn't think the teasing was funny, even though she did. And at least it kept Kurt and Bobby from making jokes on how the food they were all eating resembled something Kurt had found in the back of his locker from last month. Jean's voice rose above the din the others were making,

"I'm sure he is really hansom too Kitty. But there are a lot of hansom boys at this school. I'm sure he is just as nice as they are. Though, there are some that are handsomer then others." Rogue noticed that she gave Scoot a gentle look, and that he smiled at her. She stifled the urge to gag. Seeing them together still set her teeth on edge sometimes.

She noticed the surprised, awe filled, looks on her friends' faces at the same time she felt a slight brush against her shoulder. She looked up backward into the deep blue eyes, and gentle smile, of none other then Thomas Rogers. Unwittingly, her own features lit in a small answering grin.

"Hello Rogue." His voice was shy as he continued to smile at her.

"Hey Thomas." she was able to get out past the lump of shyness in her throat. Pulling out the one empty chair at the table, she managed to ask "Umm… Would you like to sit down?"

She wondered if she could stand him sitting next to her through lunch. On the other hand, she hated the thought of him not staying there.

"Sure. I'd like that." he smiled as he took the pro-offered seat and set his lunch tray down. Rogue could not help but notice that he seemed pleased she had asked him to.

She caught him looking at her, one of his perfectly shaped eyebrows in a questioning arch. It took her a second to realize what he was implying.

"Oh yeh." she said, looking back at her friends and seeing that they were watching her too. "Everyone, this is Thomas Rogers. We met on the way to math class." At the looks of wonder on the girls' faces, and envy on the guys', she had to fight very hard to hide her own smile.

"Thomas, these are some of my friends. This is Kitty Pride, Jean Grey, Allison Crestmere, Kurt Wagner, Bobby Drake, and Scott Summers." she pointed to each of them as she said their names, taking great satisfaction in the shocked looks they were giving her, before turning back to Thomas.

He nodded his head to each of them before speaking.

"It's nice to meet all of you. And please, call me Tom. Only my parents ever call me Thomas. It makes me feel old." His eyes twinkled playfully as he said that last bit.

About this time, the others seemed to regain their own speaking abilities. They all started talking at once.

"Where did you live before this?" Allison said.

"Like, why did you transfer to Bayville?" Kitty's voice sounded gooey as she looked at him.

"Where are you living now?" Jean said in her gentle, quiet voice, getting a nervous glare from Scott.

(Rogue could not help a very soft giggle at the fact that it was only the girls talking.)

Thomas' deep laughter rose up above the din their voices were making them stop mid-sentence.

"Easy, I can't think that fast. I was born and raised in Texas, though I have traveled a bit in my life. I thought New York would be an interesting change of scenery, and my folks agreed. At the moment, I'm staying with my Aunt. She had been living here for a few months and offered to take me in."

When he had finished, he had to stop to catch his breath. Though their questions did not seem to bother him one little bit. The fact that he enjoyed their attention sent a strange nervous tremor through Rogue, though she had no idea why. They had only just met.

Her notice was drawn back to him as he began to pick at the food on his tray. He was trying very hard to hide the look of disgust that was flitting across his features. Kurt seemed to notice this as well; he leaned forward and said in a conspirator voice,

"Don't feel bad about not wanting to eat it. Before you sat down, we were just discussing what we thought the food looked like." He went on to regale the vulgar tales of un-edible food the things for which it resembled. That which elicited gagging sounds of horror from the girls at the table, but caused Thomas to break out into a smile again. Whereupon, he began a commentary of his own such food experiences. The likes of which were so terrifying that he got a chuckle from Scott and looks of awe from the younger boys. (It is better not to mention the reactions the girls at the table had.)

All too soon, the class bell rang. Rogue nearly jumped out of her chair in surprise, and she noticed that the others looked shocked as well. They had all completely forgotten the time. As they began to make their way out of the lunch room, Tom leaned over and said quietly to Rogue.

"Thanks for having me sit with you. It was a lot of fun."

She wanted to ask if he would like to sit with them again on Monday. But the feel of him so close to her, left her speechless. Hard as she might try, she could not get the words out, only managing to nod slightly at him. Thankfully, Kitty came to her rescue.

"Hey, would you like to sit with us tomorrow? Oh well duh, not tomorrow. This is Friday. I mean like on Monday? Its fun having someone interesting at our table." she giggled at Bobby's attempt at an outraged look, knowing full well that he felt the same way.

Tom turned to look at Rogue, waiting for her reaction. Again, all she could do was nod. But that seemed to be enough for him. Slowly they made their way through the thick crowd. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper.

"Can any of y'all tell me where Mr. Phillip's class is? I can't make heads or tails out of this schedule." he said

Jean gave him one of her small smiles, reaching out to tap his arm she said

"That's our next class." indicating both her and Scott. "We can show you where it is." Tom thanked them. He turned to wave goodbye at the younger five, giving them one of his blinding smiles, before turning and following Jean and Scott.

Rogue noticed that she was not the only one watching the retreating view. Kitty and Allison let out simultaneous sighs. Kurt and Bobby rolled their eyes as they began to make their way to class. Kitty turned grinning at Rogue.

"My gosh! You are SO lucky!" she squealed softly. Her words were echoed by Allison's

"Yes. He is so hot!" she whispered with a sigh.

Rogue looked at them it surprise. What in the world were they talking about?

"You two are crazy. I don't even know the guy." she snapped at them. _And he probably has not even noticed me. _She thought sadly.

"Oh, come on Rogue! It is like SOOO obvious that he likes you! Don't act so, so, YOU for once!" Kitty huffed. Her words were echoed with a nod from Allison.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes at them, writing if off as immature girl behavior.

"_How could a guy like him, even look at a girl like me?" _she wondered. Though in her heart, she hoped their teasing was based on some truth.

Ok, please review. This is my first Fan-Fiction and I'm grateful for any useful input you can give me. I'll try to get updates on this at least once a week.


	5. Home Life

Ok, please review. This is my first Fan-Fiction and I'm grateful for any useful input you can give me. I'll try to get updates on this at least once a week.

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**Home Life**

The next day was stormy. The sky was almost black and if that was not a big enough hint, the wind carried the scent of rain to come. It blew in softly at first, but as the minutes past, it began to grow in its intensity. The trees whipped back and forth, casting terrifying shadows on the ground and the sides of buildings. Not a time for the faint of heart to be out and about.

Rogue groaned at the sound of her alarm clock going off. Only half way awake, she reached out from under the covers, felt around for the button and punched it. The sound of cracking metal and plastic woke her up the rest of the way. She sat up in bed, staring incoherently at the mess of sparking rubble. Realizing what had happened she groaned a second time,

"Ahh… Not again! This is the third one this week!" she said aloud as she unplugged the now useless machine and looked it over. Like all the others, the top on this one was dented in. Maybe she could have Forge fix it. But she really didn't want to ask him again. How many times can you ask someone to fix a broken alarm clock? She sighed loudly. She might as well ask, otherwise getting a new one would come out of her allowance. Who knew having super strength would be this much of a hassle? She was still not use to the powers she had taken from Mrs. Marvel. Though she had to admit, it was wonderful to be able to fly.

She moved to her dresser and began putting on her cloths. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she began to think about Thomas again. She had dreamed about him all night long. In most of her dreams, they had been laughing and having a lot of fun. Like any normal teenage couple would. As Rogue brushed out her hair, she wondered what it would be like to have a boyfriend; a real one, to go places with and to talk to; among other things. She shook her head to expel those thoughts. She could never have that, and the sooner she learned not to think about it the better. But she could never seem to forget.

Rogue was so deep in thought that she nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of a knock on her door. Well, knock was an understatement. Banging like they wanted to take the hinges off was a better description. She realized that she was floating a foot of the ground. A little smile crossed her features. Only one person in the entire Mansion knocked like that on peoples' doors. Her suspicions were founded when she heard the loud voice that accompanied the morning greeting.

"Up and at 'em Rouge! You have a training session in forty-five minutes. Don't take all day fix'in your hair up Darlin." Logan's teasing voice rose above the din of his banging. Rogue rolled her eyes at the closed door and shouted.

"Ah'm comin! Ya don't need 'ta shout at me, or break ma dang door down!" she ran to the door and yanked it open. Logan was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest in a familiar Logan pose. One eyebrow was raised as he looked at her. "And for your information," Rogue continued, crossing her arms in an imitation of his stance, "Ah was NOT fix'in ma hair." she glared at him and he glared back. They stood staring at each other, fierce looks on there faces for a minute or so. Logan broke first; a little smile began to tug at the corner of his mouth. With that, Rogue broke into gales of laughter and he joined her with a soft chuckle of his own.

"Fine Darlin. You win this one." his voice held a fond note as he spoke to her. "But I'm gona win the next." He paused and looked her over. "Go on down, I'll meet ya there when I get the rest of these lazy sluggards out'o their beds." She nodded her head with a smile and headed down to the Danger Room.

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She was the first one there, which was nice for a change. Normally Scott and Jean at least were ahead of her. She noticed that the danger room was blank. So whatever program they were going to participate in hadn't been activated yet.

Rogue took a seat on the floor next to the wall, resting her chin on her knees. Against her will, her thoughts turned toward yesterday; toward Thomas. _I wonder what he is doing right now, _she thought. _Is it possible that Kitty and Allison were right? That maybe he likes me? _She shook her head at what was, as far as she thought, impossible. Why would he like me? We only just met, and there are so many other girls who would do ANYTHING to get a guy like him. He'd never choose me. With a node of her head and a sigh, she decided that would be the end of it. It only hurt to think about. But she could not get his image out of her mind. She pictured his gentle smile, and one came to her own lips.

So deep was she on this train of thought, that she almost didn't notice the soft _bamf_ sound that signaled Kurt's appearance in the Danger room. She looked up as he made his way over to sit beside her with a soft 'Good-morning', which she returned.

For a long moment after, they just sat beside each other in silence. Then, Kurt turned to get a better look at her. He cocked his head slightly to the side as he spoke.

"Is tere somsing vrong Rogue?" his German accent held a gentle, perhaps even worried, tone. "You seem a bit upset. Is tere anyting I can help you vit?" The genuine look of concern in his eyes caused her to smile.

Ever since they had found out that Mystique was his biological mother, as well as her adoptive mother, they had been tiptoeing around each other.

Rogue was worried that he was mad at her, since she had suspected Mystique might be his mother and hadn't told him till after he found out. And Kurt was afraid that after all the horrible things his mother had done to her, Rogue would want nothing to do with him since he was her son. When she saw him, did she see the image of Mystique, and therefore feel the pain of betrayal all over again? Did she hate him as she did her former mentor? The not knowing bothered him greatly. He had always wanted to find a place where he could belong, a family to be part of. And when it just looked like he might have found that in the Institute, the new test lay before him.

At first when she did not answer him, he believed his fears were correct. Then, to his relief she turned to him and spoke.

"Na. Noth'ins wrong Kurt, Ah'm just fine. But if there was, you'd be tha first one Ah'd come to." her soft southern draw held all the sincerity in her heart. Sensing this, Kurt's eyes and face lit with a smile, his fears laid to rest.

They were talking about school and pondering what this training session was about, when they heard the sound of the other students approaching the room. They grinned at each other and Kurt helped her to her feet. Together they leaned against the wall and tried to look board at their teammates' lateness.

"Where in tha world have y'all been?" Rogue asked in a teasing tone.

"Ya, ve have been vaiting foreva." Kurt said with mock anger.

The other students rolled their eyes and mumble various answers. Most of them looked like they were about to fall asleep were they stood. Rogue and Kurt exchanged grins and chuckles again as they moved to stand next to Logan, who had just entered the room. He did not look in a good mood at all. Rogue guessed that dealing with a bunch of unwilling, and unawake students would put that scowl on anyone's face. She could tell that he was trying not to growl as he addressed them.

"Trust me getting you kids up at 5:30 on a Saturday is not my idea of a fun weekend either. So quit your grumbling." he glared at each of the young mutants before he started talking again.

"Today, we're focusing on your individual abilities, mainly those of you with physical and long range powers." He consulted a list on his clipboard. "Ok, separate into two groups."

As he continued talking Kurt and Rogue's eyes met again and they both grinned; happy to finally have all their misunderstandings under control.

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­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Rogue stretched out on her bed with a sigh. As per usual, her entire body ached from this morning's exercises. She thought she should have been used to them by now, but she obviously wasn't. Rolling over with a groan, she pulled herself up and went to her dresser to get her bath stuff. At the moment she was waiting for Kitty to get out of the shower so she could get cleaned up. She had a course in Mutant physiology with Dr. McCoy in forty-five minutes and she knew her grade could not afford her to miss it or be late getting there.

"Most kids get to rest on the weekends." she mumbled unhappily to herself. "But no… Us mutants have to study at least five other subjects. Gosh, I hate school." she had never been much of a bookie. And lately she had been feeling so claustrophobic and it was beginning to get to her.

She peered out the door and saw that Kitty still wasn't out. She let out a small growl under her breath and dumped her things onto her bed. There was no use waiting around for the younger girl. She was famous throughout the mansion for her LONG showers. And everyone was always fighting to get ahead of her in line. No one wanted to be behind her ever.

Rogue made her way out of her room and into the hallway. From there she was not sure where she wanted to go, but she found herself moving toward one of the west wing balconies. They were not used often because they were a bit out of the way, and that was why she loved them. She had come to think of this one as her own private thinking place.

She opened the door and stepped out onto the windy platform. The sky was still dark and boiling as it had been this morning, but she didn't care. The smell of rain was a glorious scent and very refreshing.

She did not know how many times she had stood out here when she needed to think. She had not been part of the X-Men for very long compared to most of the others, and she was still finding herself fighting for her place. All she really wanted, though she'd never admit to it openly, was that she wanted to belong; to feel a part of something.

And for some reason recently, she had not been feeling that way at all.

Her eyes had been idly scanning the horizon, not really focusing on anything. If she had been looking hard, she might just have seen the small flash of light coming from a hilltop close by; as if reflecting off a dark and polished surface. But it was not to be.

Just then, she heard the sound of Kitty's bubbling laugh coming from the direction of their room, and she pushed back from the banister. She moved quickly from the balcony, heading toward the sound so she could try and make it in time for class.

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I…i...i...i...i

..I...i…i...i

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_**On one such hilltop**_

The thin man lowered the binoculars from his eyes, but he did not look away from the large estate that lay but a moments walk to the south. His grey eyes scanned the building for another glimpse of the one he sought. His pale, bone thin hand reached up and flicked an inexistence piece of dust from his black shirt; his white hair flutter annoyingly in the wind that blew around him. He hated being here, having to spend his time outside when there were other and better things to be doing.

But he knew that this stage in his work was necessary. He needed to see the target to be sure it was the correct one. If it wasn't, all the plans he had so carefully laid out would have all been for naught.

He turned to his companion, a large behemoth of a man; if you could call a creature with his appearance a 'man'. Claws laced with metal sprung from fingers the size of sausages, eyes like those of a cat glared out hatefully at the world around him. He was tall with long, shaggy blonde hair "_More a mane then an actual hair really"_ the smaller man thought.

Smaller was a relative term. He himself was over six feet, and yet the other man still seemed to dwarf him in size. But that did not take away from his own frightening appearance. Tall, pale, silent, with eyes like clear crystals, he had long since been mistaken for a ghost.

This would not have been so far from the truth.

He could tell that the other one was getting annoyed, and that made his bad mood dissipate quite a few degrees. He loved to make those around him uncomfortable. That was why his was still in this particular line of work. Though there were many other rewards to be gained by it.

After a few more moments of staring at the mansion, the thin man heard his companion speak.

"Look, I said I'd show you where this is. And I'd help you with what you want done. That is what you hired me for. But we stay here much longer and we're gonna get caught."

The thin man held back a sigh of displeasure. He knew good and well that the other man would not have minded being caught here. But the big man also knew that if they were spotted before the time was right, he would not be getting his money.

The Ghost smiled slightly at that thought, knowing that he had the other under his control, and with only the thought of a few pieces of green and black paper. That part of this place would never cease to amaze him. Where he had come from, much more then mere paper was needed to hold such alliances.

And if what he was planning went through, he would no longer have a need of this place, with its idiotic customs and stupid little inhabitants. There was no need to talk about such things with this large brute. No, he would keep the fate of this misbegotten planet to himself for now. But he could always use a bit of fun in poking the preverbal bear.

"What Victor?" his voice was soft like a whisper of death, yet it could be easily heard. "Getting nervious? Don't think you could handle a few little children if they were to come out and play ummm?"

He chuckled out loud at the rage that statement caused to explode in Creed's eyes. His laughter only enraged Victor further, and the man lunged for him, lifting him off his feet in move of pure hatred.

"Don't you dare ever speak to me like that again you puny little rat!" he was spitting as he growled into the other's pale face. "I might be working for you, but you better show me some respect or I'm gonna rip that head of yours right off and shove it in your….Ahhhhhh!!!" he stopped with a cry of pain before he could finish his threat. The hand that was wrapped around the other's neck had started to hurt, with more pain then he had though possible.

He looked down at it and fear filtered into his eyes. For the hand was no longer a hand. It had begun to age, the skin and muscle blackening and starting falling off, rotting and decaying until there was nothing left but bone. And then it started moving up his arm.

He still had enough sense in his pain filled mind to let go of the man he had been holding. He clutched his arm, expecting his healing factor to quickly eliminate the damage. But it did not happen right away as it should have; it was almost a minute before it even started to heal. His gaze moved back to the one who had caused this.

He truly did look like a ghost now. His skin was nearly transparent and his eyes and hair were glowing with an eerie pale light. When he spoke his voice was quite but it sounded like a scream. A scream that seemed to come from beyond the realm of this life, as if it where from death itself.

"You dare to even thing about touching me you foul creature! You believe that you are my equal, but you are less then the dirt that I trod upon." his eyes continued to glow brighter with every word he spoke. His voice lowered in pitch, becoming a mere hiss like that of a demonic snake. He leaned down until his face was only a hair's breath from the man on the ground.

"The only reason that you have been allowed to walk beside me this far is that you have some knowledge of the one I seek. If that knowledge runs out, or if you prove ruder then I am willing to stand, I will make you plead for a quick death."

He stood up then, and talking one last look at the mansion on the hill, he began to move away.

"Come slave. There is much work to be done before the time is right."

Sabertooth watched as The Ghost made his way to the car they had parked not far away. His arm still burned with a cold feeling that would not go away. It made him feel more tired then he had ever before experienced. He forced himself to his feet, again wishing with all his blackened heart that he had never accepted this job in the first place. He too glanced back toward the mansion.

"Sorry kid." he muttered under his breath. Even he would not have wished this coming fate on anyone.

Slowly he followed the other man to the car.

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Yeah, this story gave me some trouble at the beginning and it wasn't that good. But I think it is picking up nicely and I'm trying to make it more interesting. Please review. I want to know what you think this storyline needs. 


	6. A Proposed Question

As always, Marvel does not belong to me. I use it in my creative abilities at the graciousness of Stan Lee and the brilliant writers within his staff. You sue, and I'll ignore you.

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Ok! FINALLY some reviews on this story! It's about time people. I'm glad y'all are taking an interest in this one. The beginning started off rough, but I think I'm getting there. I seem to always have trouble with the first parts of my stories. Thanks for reading! And please review!

_**Liz:**_ Thanks! I've always thought it might be interesting to pair her with someone else. :) Thanks for your input.

_**Soul Mamma:**_ I'm glad you liked this one too. What did you think of my last chapter in my other story? You didn't review on that one. :)

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o.o.o.o.o

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**_ A posed question_**

It was Monday, and that meant school. And that most likely meant that she would see a certain blue eyed guy again. Rogue did not know whether to be excited about this simple fact, or to dread it with everything in her.

She opted for the second of the two choices, as was her nature. She was just too worried about his reaction (or possible lack of) to think this a good thing. Plus, her car had blown a gasket this morning and she was not looking to having to beg a ride from Jean, her being the only other person still home with a running car. Rogue had thought about asking Logan, but he seemed to be in one of his growling moods today. And she didn't think that Thom would even consider her if she were missing part of her face.

So that left Jean. She wished that Scott had not already left for school; he wasn't as hard to ask. But Jean just seemed to be TOO willing to help. And her light and self-sacrificing mood just rubbed Rogue the wrong way sometimes.

Today was one of those sometimes.

Rogue wished that she could just fly all the way to school, but the Professor had forbidden it. Last time she had done that, though she tried to be careful, she had been spotted. Luckily, he had been able to rectify the problem with a few "well placed words" into the unfortunate person's thoughts. Xavier did not like doing thing like that unless he had too, so flying was out of the question.

Rogue waited outside the mansion's steps for Jean, worrying about being late; probably for the first time in her life. But this time, she had a reason to want to be there early.

Jean came down the stairs a few minutes later, perfectly dressed and primped to perfection. She did not even have one hair out of place. Rogue swallowed hard and stood up, turning to Jean and trying her best not to look jealously nauseous.

"Umm… Jean?" She said. "Ya mind if Ah catch a ride to school with ya?"

Turning her brilliant greens toward her, Jean smiled. Her look was full of pity as he answered.

"Sure Rogue! I don't mind at all. I'm sorry about your car by the way. I hope you can get it fixed soon." She turned toward the mansion door and yelled out. "Kitty!! Get down here now! We're going to be late!"

Rogue nearly back peddled and said she didn't need the ride. The thought of riding in a car with both Jean and Kitty was almost too much to bear. She liked Kitty, she even thought of her as a close proximity to a friend. But when you put Kitty in a car with Jean, the young Pride became a laughing, joking whirlwind of terror. And today was not the day for such things in Rogue's mind.

Before she could say anything Kitty came running out of the house, not even bothering to open the door she phased through it. She nearly tripped and fell on the stairs as she came barreling down. Rogue knew she could not say anything now, because Kitty would know she was doing it because of her. And no matter what type of mood the gothic girl was in, she did not want to hurt the other girl like that.

So she put on her best 'I don't care' face and walked with the two of them toward Jean's little sliver Explorer. Trying in vain to block out the sound of Kitty and Jean's excited chattering. She relaxed a little as Kitty called out claiming the front seat. She sat gladly in the back, leaning her head against the headrest and closing her eyes.

As they began to pull out of the drive, there was a loud 'BAMF' beside her. The car screeched to a halt and Kitty and Jean gasped in surprise, and then yelled angrely. Rogue's eyes stayed closed but she smiled a little smile. She had long ago gotten used to her 'brother's' comings and goings. Even before she knew he WAS her brother.

"Sorry to startle you ladies. I vas vondering if you, Jean, vould be so kind as to allow me to catch a ride vith you?" he spoke so eloquently and flatteringly that the other girls seemed to forget about being angry and Jean told him that it was fine. Rogue opened her eyes to slits and regarded her brother as he buckled in. He flashed her a humorous grin, his sharp white teeth glistening against his dark fur; before he fiddled with his image inducer and turned into the form of a seemingly normal 15 year old boy. Her own grin widened a little in response.

He regarded her for a moment eyes slitting slightly in concentration, seeming to be sizing up her mood. After a moment, he nodded his head, obviously making some sort of decision. Rogue wondered what he could be thinking. She realized as the drive wore on that every time one of the girls addressed her, Kurt would run interference and ask something in return, or start telling one of the many stories he had stored in his fur covered head. He had seen that she was not in the talking mood and was keeping any unwanted conversation away from her!

Rogue had to fight back a few tears as she thought about this. There were very few times in her life when anyone had anticipated her needs and done something to make her feel better. That was one thing that always had made her like Kurt Wagner. He seemed to really care about how others around him where feeling. And it made her all the more happy to have him as her family. (Though you would have to run her through some sort of mill grind to get her to say it out loud. But that never seemed to bother Kurt.)

They got to school a few minutes before the bell would ring. Jean parked the car and then she and Kitty got out and moved toward the front entrance. Rogue watched them meeting up with a bunch of their individual friends and then move inside. Neither her, nor Kurt had gotten from the car. He was going through his backpack to make sure he hadn't forgotten his history report. As he opened the car door to leave she did the same. She walked around to his side and touched his shoulder with her gloved hand. He looked up at her, a question in his eyes.

"Thanks Kurt. Ah really appreciate what ya did on tha ride here." She looked down a little, but her eyes moved to his again when he touched her hand on his shoulder.

"Tink nating of it, meine Schwester. Ve are family, we must look out for van another. Especially vhen it comes to our dear Kitty and Jean!" he smiled again at her, giving her hand a little squeeze before they too, started walking toward the school.

They had almost made it to the stairs when she spotted him. He was leaning against the railing, muscular arms crossed over his chest. He was talking to a couple of the football players, and something must have been funny because he was laughing. Even though she could not hear him over the noise of the crowd, she felt like she could feel his laugh; as if she were standing right next to him.

She froze, unable to take her eyes off his form as he continued to talk and laugh. Kurt stopped along side her but she did not notice him. She was so focused on trying to remember how to breathe. She did not see Kurt looking from her to Thomas, or the confusion on his face that quickly passed to one of amused interest. It was not often that he had seen anyone catch Rogue's attention to such an extreme. He had liked this guy when they had met last week, and was pondering all the fascinating possibilities when the bell rang.

Rogue was still fighting for control when the bell rang, she nearly jumped out of her skin and several passers by looked at like she was a freak. She watched as Thom got off the rail, following the players through the school's doors. She was mentally kicking and punching herself, not to mention muttering swear words that would have made Wolverine blush and that were turning her brother a scarlet already. Why hadn't she gone to him? Said "Hi" or something like that? Now she would have to wait till lunch for another chance. She felt so stupid!

With a sigh she began moving inside. Glancing at Kurt, she saw the teasing grin that was playing across his face. She scowled at him, and seeing that that did not faze him in the least, she said in a whisper,

"Ah swear Kurt, if you say anything about this to anyone. Ah'll kill you and feed your liver to Logan!" she tried to stare him down, but it only made his grin get wider. He placed his hand over his heart in a mock promise and waved goodbye to her as her entered his first class. Somehow, she did not think that she would ever hear the end of this one from him.

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o.o.o.o.o

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Much to her great disappointment, she did not run into him in-between any of her classes, and he seemed to have been switched out of the only class they had together. She told herself that this was a good thing, at least now she would be able to study a little. But that did not really fly with her. She wanted to see him, and this was only making it harder somehow. She forced herself not to dwell on anything but the subjects in front of her, trying with all her might to get some work done. It worked for a while before it started to get harder and harder, as a myriad of thoughts plagued her already unsettled mind.

What if she didn't see him at lunch? What if she saw him, but he did not see her? Or worse, visa versa? What if he waved and she didn't see, and he thought she was ignoring him? Or what if they saw each other and he did not want anything to do with her? That one almost had her crying it bothered her so much. And what was her problem anyway? Why did this guy she did not even know make her feel like this? She was so confused about all this stuff. But that did not stop her from jumping up and being the first one out of the classroom when the lunch bell rang.

As a matter of fact, she was among a few of the first to get to the cafeteria as well. She had thought about the not-seeming-desperate approach, but she could not seem to complete that. She looked around for him and realized that he was not there yet. She sighed another frustrated sigh and went and got her lunch. She only got a few things, not really even paying attention to what was on her plate.

She moved to a table at the far corner of the room, a small one that no one really ever went to. But she did not want to be a part of the crowd today; she did not feel like talking to her friends right now. And besides, from where she was sitting, she could see the doorway pretty clearly. She was hoping that she might catch a glimpse of him coming in. But before she could sit down, someone called out her name.

Wincing at the volume Kitty was using, despite the fact that she was right there was using despite the fact that she was right there, she turned around as she brunette grabbed her arm.

"Rogue! What are you doing way over here?" she said. Before Rogue could even think of answering she continued. "Everyone else is over at our table and I saved you a seat!" Rogue sighed, excepting her fate as Kitty dragged her along. So much for a bit of quiet spying.

Kurt saw them coming over and gave her a sympathetic smile. She shrugged her shoulders and returned the grin. The all sat down together, and the normal talking and goofing off commenced. Most of the other kids in the cafeteria had long since stopped fraternizing much with them. Ever since it had come out that they were Mutants, they were left alone. That is, unless they were being harassed.

Rogue was trying hard not to pay any attention to them as she kept her eyes scanning the room. Still no sign of a certain someone; maybe he had gone out to lunch. Just then, the caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye. She almost called out, inviting him over, but then she realized were he was, and who he was with. He was standing with his tray next to footballers' and cheerleaders' table. They are, of course, the most popular group in school. Rogue guessed that he would probably rather sit over there anyway. You could get in major social trouble at Bayville if you were seen eating with the freaks.

She noticed a moment later that the others at her table were looking in the same direction as her. She blushed and turned back to her food. There were a few murmured comments about_ stuck up snobs_ and such, and she smiled at the attempt to make her feel better.

"Whoh… Looks like something's going down over on snob row guys." Rogue looked up at Bobby's statement, seeing what he was looking at surprised her.

Thom had never sat down at the table. As a matter of fact, he looked like he was trying to move elsewhere. One of the larger footballers, Gill Guthtair, had a hold of his upper arm and seemed to be threatening him. Thom stayed completely still, listening to him. Then, he looked down at Gill's hand clutching his arm and back up into his eyes. His eyes were filled with anger and the threat in them was by no means subtle. It looked like Thom said something quietly to him, and Gill quickly let go. By then most everyone in the room was looking at them.

Then, to everyone at their table's shock, Thom started heading in their direction. Rogue sunk down in her seat trying to look slightly invisible as she tried to contain her emotions. He had just committed social suicide. And from the way he was looking their way, just to come and sit with them. She really did not know how to take that.

She did not have long to think about it though. He was defiantly coming to their table. He stopped next to them and said quietly in his southern drawl.

"Y'all have room for one more?"

There really wasn't that much room. They were at a big table, though there were ten of them seated there. But that did not stop them from all silently moving over a bit and clearing him a spot. Kurt reached over and grabbed him and empty chair to sit in, and covertly, placed it next to Rogue. His eyes twinkled merrily at the scowl she gave him. After he had sat down, Kitty seemed unable to contain herself any longer.

"What in the world was that about? You looked like you were about to rip Gill's head off." she leaned in excitedly, as did most of the others. Everyone wanted to find out what would make him do something like that.

He seemed to think about it for a minute, playing thoughtfully with his fork. When he spoke his words where measured and soft, anger still apparent in his voice.

"They asked me to sit down, and I said 'no thanks' that I'd already been asked somewhere else." He gave Kitty a smile, remembering her invitation of last Friday. "They asked where and I pointed you out, and for some reason that sent some of them into a flying fit. That Gill guy grabbed my arm and said that if I went over there, I'd never get anywhere in this school, and that they'd make my life miserable. " His light blue eyes seemed to darken, like a storm was brewing deep inside of him. He obviously did not take kindly to being told what to do like that.

"I hope you told him to bugger off." growled Elizabeth 'Betsy' Braddock angrily. "Who the heck do those guys think they are?" Betsy was new to the school, having only joined the Institute a few weeks ago. She had yet to get the social manual memorized. Not that it would have mattered. The feisty oriental girl with the purple hair could have cared less then crap what others thought of her.

Thom smiled a dangerous smile. "I told him that if he didn't let go of my arm, I was going to pull his hands off and punch him with them." Something about the way he said left no doubt in any of their minds that he would have done it too.

Rogue was fighting off a grin now, and loosing the battle. She was so much more than glad that he had stood up to those idiots, no one else ever did. Her mind snapped back to reality when she heard him start speaking again.

"What I don't understand is what y'all could have done to tick everyone off that much. You don't look like you've killed anyone." he said this in a joking way, but that did not take away the question in his eyes. Kitty opened her mouth to say something but Warren cut her off.

"Let's just say that our background makes people nervous." he said vaguely. Warren had always had a flare for the dramatic. "They don't like where we come from and who we are."

Thom looked him over, and his eyes moved over the rest of them. They came to a stop at Rogue, and their eyes locked. Then he said, "I'd rather sit with people who aren't stupid morons' anyway." he said playfully. That got a chorus of quiet cheers from the others that the table.

After that, he seemed to fit completely into place with the rest of them. Kitty and Jean introduced him to the students he had not met last Friday. He even seemed to hit it off with Warren. This, it might be added, is not the easiest thing to accomplish. Warren did not trust people, and was very weary of outsiders.

He told them about where he'd grown up, a little town called Cherry Hill, in Texas. He spoke with such a love of his home that he had all the girls, including Rogue, dreamy eyed; thinking about the beautiful lakes and woods, and amazing places he described; though Rogue was dreamy eyed for a totally different reason.

When the lunch hour was over, none of them wanted to leave. Rogue was furious with herself because she still had not worked up the courage to say anything coherent to Thom. Bobby mentioned the fact that he and several other guys where going dirt biking next Saturday morning and asked if he wanted to come along. He said he'd like too. His bike was one of the few 'can't live without things' he'd brought with him from home.

As they began filing out of the cafeteria, Rogue found herself falling behind the others. She could see Kurt talking to Thom about something, and it seemed like it was very important. Thom was listening carefully, and then he seemed to be surprised about something. Deep down inside, some sisterly instinct told her she was going to have to kill her brother later on. And then, to her own surprise, Thom started falling back until he was right along side her. He looked like he really wanted to say something to her and her entire being went into hoping that she knew what it was. They were almost to class and she had about given up when he grabbed her arm gently and stopped her.

"Ahhh…" he seemed nervous, and not sure where to start. "Look, I know we've only just met and we haven't really even spoken that much." Rogue blushed at that. "But I was thinking. The school is having that Charity Rock Concert next Saturday night, and well…." he took a deep breath, "Oh gosh, I'm just gona say it, would you like to go? With me?"

As cheesy as it sounded, she really thought her heart was going to stop. Could it be possible that she had heard him right? Could he have REALLY just asked her out? She tried to say something but her throat was suddenly so dry she couldn't speak. The second bell for class rang and she knew she was out of time. As the other students were moving into class she mustered all her strength and croaked out,

"Sure, that'd by fahn."

She could have kicked herself! That was the most un-interesting answer she could have come up with. Not to even mention the fact that she sounded like a frog saying it.

But judging by the way his eyes lit up, and that huge grin that covered his face, he didn't seem to mind much at all. He gave her a little bow, and without another word he sauntered off to class.

Smiling all the way, she went on to her own.

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o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o

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A/N: Yeah, yeah, I know. This one is not the best. It is more for my own enjoyment then anything else, so if y'all don't like it, that's ok. :) But I hope you'll review anyway. Thanks again to everyone that did. 


	7. Concert

_**Concert**_

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Thanks for all your reviews guys! I really appreciate all the feed back. :) This is a REALLY long chapter, but I could not think of any way to break it up with out messing it up. So you are getting TWO chapters for the price of one! Lucky you!

I hope you enjoy anyway. See y'all in the review box.

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o.o.o.o.o

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As the week wore on, Rogue saw a lot of Thom. He sat with her and her friends at lunch, and they ran into each other in the hall a few times. But it was not as much as she would have liked. He did not mention the concert again that week, and she had begun to get a little nervous.

Now she was standing in her room, trying to find something in her closet that was interesting and yet fitting for a concert, and she was having misgivings. What if he had changed his mind and did not want to go with her? What if he had not meant to ask her out, but Kurt had said something to him? She had been going to corner her brother and beat a confession out of him if necessary, but she was so happy about Thom asking her out that she was not sure she wanted to know the truth. She was beginning to regret that sentiment.

It was getting late now, and she knew she had to hurry. But she could not find a single thing to wear. Jean, Kitty, and Alison, (when they had gotten wind of her impending outing) had offered to help her get ready. So now, she was staring at a pile of different outfits lying on her bed. The other girls had all gone to get ready since they were all going to the concert too. Plus, Rogue had gotten the faint impression that they were a little sick of her not choosing anything.

None of them seemed to fit her! Not in size, but in taste. Every time she tried one of them on, she felt fake. The girl in the mirror looking back at her was not the REAL Rogue. And for some reason she did not fully understand, she wanted this guy to see the real her tonight. The idea of changing herself for him did not seem right.

She sighed, frustration evident in her whole posture. She turned her full attention to the clothing in front of her, examining each and every piece of wear as if it were under a microscope. Black, black, black, red with black, black, black, blue and black, black, green and black, black….. And so on. Why didn't she have anything that wasn't black? Well yes, that was her favorite color clothing to wear, but why didn't she have something colorful for these types of emergencies?

"_Because ya never thought ya'd be in this type of situation." _she thought, angry at herself.

Finally she made her decision. She reached into her closet and grabbed her favorite pair of black jeans. They road low on her hips and were comfortably broken in. She gazed in sadness at the formerly loved holes in the knees, but slipped them on anyway. Then came a black leather belt with silver lined holes in it. She tightened that and looked at her shirts. Pulling out a long sleeved T-shirt with a deep bowl neckline from the back of her closet, she regarded it suspiciously. It had dark red roses spaced out over it, forming an interesting pattern that was very appealing. It did not look at all girlish, and Rogue found herself liking it a little. It was not something she would normally wear, but it might work for tonight. But where had this come from? She vaguely remembered seeing it before, but she could not remember where. Maybe it belonged to one of the other girls and it had gotten in her laundry by mistake.

Figuring they wouldn't mind her wearing it, she slipped it over her head and found that, though a little big, it fit. She shrugged off the mystery and moved on. She put on a pair of her favorite black stud earrings, as well as a black choker with an onyx stone in the middle, and a black band bracelet to match.

Moving to the mirror she looked herself over. Not fabulous, but not bad either. As a matter of fact, she thought she looked pretty darn good. Well, at least for her. She smiled a little at reflection, and moved to her make-up kit. This time she was on firm ground, she had no intention whatsoever about changing her make-up. No matter what the Kitty said about it making her look Gothish. She could care less. She liked it, and she would wear it.

A pair of black leather gloves completed her outfit. She had considered not wearing them for a moment, but that was out of the question. She had no intention of accidentally touching someone and exposing the fact she was a Mutant to Thom. No one at school had seemed to mention it to him, and she planed to keep it that way for as long as possible. She did not want to miss out on spending a bit of time with him before he would have nothing to do with her.

Her ensemble complete, and her worry pushed as far back in her mind as she could, she made her way out of the room. She glanced around, trying to make sure that no one saw her come out. She made her way down the stairs as quietly as she could. She had told Thom to meet her at the entrance of the concert. She did not want him seen coming to the mansion. His social standing was already ruined because of her; she did not want to mess things up any more.

She had hoped to escape the house without detection, but it was not to be. The soft, almost silent, sound of footsteps alerted her to her brother's approach. She groaned and turned to face him, receiving a grin as he looked at her.

"You look vonderful my dear schwester!" He reached out and touched her shoulder gently, "I'm glad zat you are going tonight. You have not been out much lately." His eyes held a bit of mischief as he stated this in a serious voice. She glared at him, though it did not come out as evil and menacing as she had hoped.

"Yeah, whatever blue. Ah'm still not sure what to do about ya. I have this sinkin suspicion that you had something to do with Thom asking me out." she continued to glare at him, obviously awaiting an answer from him. His eyes just twinkled brighter as he made a show of shrugging his blue shoulders. He lowered his face in mock seriousness, and teleported out of the room.

"Kurt!! Get back here!!!" she yelled for the entire mansion to hear. She thought she could faintly here the sound of laughter coming from the other room, and a grin came unbidden to her lips.

She continued on down the hall and on to the first floor. She could hear the sound of conversation coming from the living area, it sounded like the Professor's voice, so she moved to go in. He was and talking to Logan, Storm, and Dr. McCoy. She stopped for a second outside the door, wondering if she should even bother telling them she was leaving.

"I don't understand what the problem is Chuck. I mean, you've picked up powerful Mutants with Cerebro before, why the worry now?" Logan's voice was gruff, and it was obvious he did not want to be there at that moment.

"The problem Logan is that this Mutant's energy and life signs are unlike that of anything I have ever before encountered. They are strange and erratic, in ways they shouldn't be. Not to mention the fact that I can't always trace the life signs. It worries me." The tone of the Prof's voice worried her; she had never heard him talk like that about a Mutant.

She was considering how long she could stay there undetected when she heard Kitty's voice coming from behind her around the corner. All conversation in the room ceased abruptly, and Rogue rolled her eyes. _Oh well, _she thought _I have other things to worry about right now._

She took a step forward and knocked on the door they were behind, at the Professor's gentle "Come in Rogue." she opened it a crack, not quite enough for anyone to see what she was wearing, and just enough for her head to stick through.

"Hey Professor, Ah just came in here to tell ya that Ah'm leaving now." She kept her voice a little clipped so that they would know she just wanted to hurry out of there. He nodded his head at her, and she began to leave.

"Hang on there kid." She winced a little at the sound of Logan's voice. She was hoping that she would get away without the 'who, what, where, and why lecture'. She opened the door a little, waiting for him to continue.

"Clear this up for me, where are you going? How are you getting there? Who's going with you?" deep down his interest felt good to her. It made her feel special that he had seemed to take her in as an almost daughter. Though it was close to the same with Kitty and Jubes, she still liked the feeling.

Giving an exaggerated sigh, lest he guess what she was feeling she said "Ah'm going to a Charity concert at the school, Ah'm taken ma car with Kitty, Jubilee, and Alison. Scott, Jean and a few of the others will be meeting us there. And we'll be out till around 11:30. We already cleared all this with ya." Logan and the others nodded.

Just then, Kitty came in to ask Storm something and Rogue quickly made her exit.

She moved as fast as she could down to the garage. Logan had fixed her car a few days before, and now she could finally drive again. Slipping into her black and blue jeep, she started up the engine and smiled at the smooth sound. She loved this car! She had never liked a car this much before.

Pulling out of the building, she moved toward the front of the house. Her nerves where beginning to get on edge, she did not want to be late. The thought of missing out on seeing Thomas was almost too much for her to think about right now. She stopped in front of the door, and waited. After a few minutes she pushed down on the horn, careful not to hit it so hard as to break the wheel. (That was what had gotten her car broken in the first place). The resulting sound was so loud that she jumped, realizing that Logan must have used her car in his mechanics' class and let one of the boys repair her horn. Most likely Bobby or Kurt. They were the only ones that would have thought it funny to enhance her horn and try to give her a heart attack.

She made a mental note to kill them when she next got the time as she watched the other girls that were driving with her come running down the stairs.

She had wanted to go on her own, so that she could meet up with Thomas outside of the Concert without anyone knowing. He had offered to come and pick her up, but she had made some dumb excuse about wanting to meet him there. He had seemed a little disappointed, but had agreed. At the time she was thinking that she would be going on her own. But Kitty and some of the other girls had come and asked her if she'd mind taking them. She had said yes, because there was no way to say it without being really rude. And she did not want that for Kitty at least.

Now as the girls came running down the mansion steps, giggling, laughing, and making jokes, she wondered if being rude was really that big of a deal.

"Oh my gosh Rogue! You look awesome! Like, where did you get that outfit?" Kitty practically squealed in delight and Rogue had to fight off the urge to wince at her tone.

"Yes!" Jubilee said "That is really cool. A lot better then what you normally wear. What's the occasion? I didn't think you even liked this kind of concert."

"She's meeting _Thomas_ at the concert." Alison spoke up quietly and mischievously. Even though she was the newer kid on the block, she had fit right in with the younger girls at the Institute. And even her shyness could not stop her from offering up the latest bit of juicy gossip. It took all Rogue had in her not to stop the car and pummel her then and there.

As she knew it would, she was then bombarded with questions and teasing, much to her own displeasure. At least she did not have to answer too many of them. Just as one of the teens would ask her something, the others would pipe in and say something else. Never the less, it was the _**longest**_ twenty minute drive of her life.

But it did end, and as she parked the car outside the gates, the others girls' banter completely left her mind. All her concentration went straight to finding a certain drawling Texas boy. Lucky for her, the girls ran off together to find their own friends and dates. Rogue started walking toward the ticketing area, looking all around her.

Before she could get away from the parking lot, she caught sight of a familiar red and white convertible. She sighed under her breath; she had been hoping that Scott and Jean were already in and that she would not have to deal with them. But it looked like she would not be getting her way.

She heard Jean call out to her, at the same time she saw the face she had been searching for. He was coming toward her slowly from across the concert grounds. And she forgot to breathe for a moment.

He reminded her of a cowboy from a western movie. Dressed in slightly worn and older Levi jeans, and though they weren't skin tight, the muscles in his legs where gloriously defined. He wore a deep blue shirt that, since it was tucked in, showed off his powerful looking chest. He had a jean jacket over the top of the shirt that showed off his broad shoulders and to top it all off, he was wearing brown boots and carrying a tan Stetson. (1) She found herself wishing he'd put it on so she could admire the whole, perfect package. (Though at the moment she was doing a bit of admiring anyway.)

She felt a hand on her shoulder and she jumped, turning to see Jean with Scott not far behind. Realizing that she had been staring like an idiot again, she blushed and shook off the offending hand. Noting the looks the two of them where giving her, she said

"What?"

"Oh, nothing." Jean said "I thought you had heard me before. I'm sorry we startled you."

Rogue nodded, pretending that she did not mind. Her thoughts turned in a different direction when she heard Thom come up behind her, and say

"Rogue? Hey, I've been looking for you." Thom's voice was gentle, as was his smile. "I thought maybe you'd gotten here ahead of me and gone in already." She tried a small smile back at him, but it was just at that moment she finally really saw how Jean was dressed.

Standing next to Jean made her feel like crap. Her dark ensemble, no matter how much she'd though it looked good, seemed to make her fade into nothingness as she stood next to Jean's bright and vibrant colors. She was wearing a deep purple, knee length shirt and a lighter purple shirt that fit her perfectly, showing off all her curves. The deep, though not immodest, neckline flaunted her perfectly creamy skin. Her red hair was pulled back and French braided with not one strand out of place. Never before had the southern belle felt so envious of her long time secret rival.

She had a hard time bringing herself to look at Thom again, not wanting to see him gazing at Jean. Though she could not really blame him for it. Most guys couldn't take their eyes off Jean, especially when she was really made up, like now.

But when she found the courage to look up, she saw that his eyes were not looking at Jean. They were locked with hers as a beautiful smile crossed his lips. He was checking her out! Not Jean, her! He did nod at Scott and Jean, offering them a friendly "Hello." But his eyes moved right back to her.

She grinned, finally able to answer him.

"Nah, Ah said Ah'd wait out here for ya. Sorry it took me so long ta get here. I had to bring a few of the other girls with me." She moved to stand next to him as she said, "Come on, and let's get in there before they start up." She waved to Scott and Jean as the two of them started to walk away.

"Ah'll see y'all home later." she could not help a small smile at the surprised looks that covered their faces.

Rogue and Thom walked side by side to get in line for tickets. Thom turned to her and asked,

"So, how are you doing? I was a little worried you might have changed your mind about coming."

She blushed, remembering her fear that he would do the same.

"Nah, Ah'm not normally a 'Try Turn' fan, but some of their music ain't that bad." she said.

He nodded, "Yeah, I'm not a big rock fan, but I like their style. You can understand what they're saying, but it's not boring either." They discussed the different bands and singers of the time, finding that though they had very different tastes, they both enjoyed debating it.

"Ah can't see why you like ANY kind of country music. Almost all of it is about couples breaking up or dieing. It's depressing!" Rogue stated seriously, though she couldn't get the smile off her face. They were coming to the stand now, and she reached into her pocket for her cash.

"Most rock music is about death and dark stuff anyway. But like you said 'it's got a good beat' and you listen to it." Without missing a _beat_ in their conversation, he reached over her shoulder and paid for both their tickets. "And besides, not all country music is like that. I'll have to get you a CD with some good stuff on it."

She glared at him as he took their tickets and they moved through the gate. "Ya know, Ah can buy ma own tickets thank ya very much. Ya didn't need ta spend your money." her voice was angrier then she'd meant it to be. She did not mind the action so much, as she didn't like the idea of her being dependent on someone else's charity. Her answer did not seem to faze him though, his grin softened a bit, and his eyes twinkled brighter. (If that was possible.)

"Where I come from ma'am, when a guy goes out with a girl, especially one as pretty as you are," she blushed so hard that she thought she might have turned purple "he pays for her ticket. No matter whether she can pay just fine or not, it's courteous. And I'm not about to go against tradition." she smiled up at him, quickly looking away. She thought she heard him say "And most definitely not when I have the prettiest girl around with me." but they were getting into the louder sections of the school yard, and she couldn't be sure.

They made their way to the bleachers, (the stage was set up on the football field) and found a place to sit. The area around them was fast filling up, and it was soon crowded. Thom leaned in closer to her so he would be heard and said next to her ear,

"I didn't know there were this many kids going to Bayville. It doesn't seem this large of a school." She fought to get by the fact that she could feel his warm breath on her neck, but her answer still came out stuttering and nervous.

"Umm… Yeah… We have a lot of st-students. And ya know h-how a concert will attract a group. Not all of them are from Bayville."

He nodded his understanding, not seeming to have noticed her blundering, and they went back to sitting in silence. The noise that was coming up from the crowd made it way too hard to talk. Rogue began to feel a little nervous with all these people pressing in around her, but she fought it back. _You knew when you came here what concerts are like. Suck it up!_

But thinking that did not make it any easier. Rogue had had to separate herself from people for so long due to her powers, that being with so many was hard for her. Plus there was the fact that she really wanted to be able to talk to Thom without screaming at him.

A few moments later, the music began. Now it got really loud, and everyone started moving around, some even dancing. And it was getting to be too much for Rogue. She felt Thom tap on her shoulder, and she turned to face him. He tried to tell her something, but she cupped her ear, telling him she couldn't hear him. He then pointed, and she followed the direction of his arm. He seemed to be gesturing toward the old two story referee station. No one really used it anymore, excepted in games. She turned a questioning eye back at him, why was he looking at that? Surely he knew what it was.

She shrugged her shoulders, indicating she didn't get it. He pointed from her to him subtly and then back at the station and she got it. He wanted them to go there. It would be so much easier to talk. A grin spread across her face and she nodded. He stood up slowly, looking around them, and she did the same. They did not want anyone to notice where they were going and give up the spot. It took a while for them to maneuver their way through the crowed stadium. Thom reached out and touched her several times to help her down the many steps. Every time he did, it sent little currents of excitement through her. She had not been this giddy in a long time; if ever.

They finally made it to the ground and started moving toward the stand. Rogue began to wonder if there were any others up there already. It seemed like such a good idea, someone else must have thought of it. But from what she could tell, no one noticed as they got to the base of the ladder. The base was solid so no one on the other side could see them climbing. Thom grinned at her again and motioned her up. It did not take long for her to make it to the top and onto the balcony. He wasn't far behind her. When they were both up, she moved to the door, knowing that they would be spotted if they stayed there for much longer. As she grabbed the knob and turned, she realized that it was locked.

After further examination, she could see that it had three pad locks on it at different heights. And she knew that the school really didn't want people messing around up there. She sighed, disappointment evident in her face as she turned to Thom and shrugged. She had really been looking forward to a little peace. It was already quieter up here then in the bleachers. And their seats would have been taken by now. But there was no way they could get those locks open without a key.

Well, she might have been able to if she had her lock pick and a bit of time. But she did not think lock picking was a skill most guys appreciated in a girl.

He raised an eyebrow at her, looking over her shoulder at the locks. His gaze then turned to her face again, and he seemed to consider something. She raised her eyebrow back at him in a question and he smiled. Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out his wallet, and from there, he removed a thin strip of metal. Rogue, from her time in the Brotherhood and her own set she had back home, could tell that it was a lock pick. He moved to the door quickly, and bent to the lock. She knew this would take a while, and was about to tell him that they really didn't have time when the first lock snapped open.

Her jaw dropped in wonder and stayed that way as he opened the other two, and then the doors lock. There was no way he could have done those that fast! Mystique had been one of the fastest Rogue had ever met, and yet she could not have done them that quick. But she wasn't going to argue that fact as he held the door open for her.

She managed to close her gaping mouth and return his sly smile. She stepped in beside him and she shut the door. When it was shut, she was shocked at how much quieter it was. The music of the concert could still be heard clearly, but the extremely loud screaming had lessened, and the press of the people was gone.

Thom moved over to one of the two padded chairs that sat in front of the observation window. He dusted it off with his hand, and motioned for her to sit. She did and he sat down in the other one beside her. She could see out over the entire football field easily; the view uninterrupted by other peoples' heads. The smells of the concession stands drifted up gently, but not overpowering like they were on the ground. In the small skylight above her head, Rogue could see the many stars that lit up the sky. For a moment neither of them said anything. Then Rogue turned to Thom and said,

"Wow! That was pretty neat. Ah don' think Ah've ever seen somebody pick a lock that fast." her tone was teasing, but she couldn't help a little of the awe from filtering through. "And that was some good thinking about coming up here. Ah'm glad you thought of it."

He smiled again and nodded, saying,

"Thanks, my sister use to lock me out of our tree house, so I got my dad to teach me lock picking. Every time I learned one, she'd get my mom to buy her something stronger. So I had to learn pretty fast. It kind of became a game between us." They both laughed at that.

Rogue looked over at him, watching his face as he watched the concert going on below. She wanted to say thanks for him asking her here. But every time she thought about the words, they seemed inadequate, or corny. So she just turned her attention back to the show. The silence between them was not awkward, but comfortable. They seemed to both be fine with the fact that the other was thinking. Rogue liked that. She was a quiet person by nature, and she could not see herself making idle chitchat the whole time.

About an hour into the show, Rogue felt her stomach growl. She would probably have died from the embarrassment if Thom's hadn't let out an answering rumble. He grinned at her and got up saying,

"Ok, even up here those food smells are getting to me. I'll go down and get us something. What would you like?" She looked up at him as he stretched and moved around a bit to get any kinks out of his spine. She almost forgot that he had asked her anything in the first place.

Lucky for her sanity, she caught herself before she could just sit there,

"Umm… yeah. How about a hot dog and a coke? If you don't mind; but maybe Ah should go down there and help ya." she was about to get up but he shook his head.

"Naw, you stay here. No sense in us both going down there. Besides, someone has to protect our seats from thieves." his eyes danced and she smiled at him.

"Alright, Ah'll stay here. But don't take too long, Ah'm starving!" Somehow that statement to him did not seem wrong or stupid. He saluted her army style, his face a mask of mock seriousness as he left their little tower room.

Rogue leaned back in her seat with a grin, gazing dreamily out at the activity below. Thinking about how she hadn't had this much fun in months. But a little voice in the back of her head kept saying that it would never last. He would try to touch her and she would have to stop him, and then, she'd have to tell him the truth. Then he'd never want anything to do with her again. She could not help her eyes from misting over at the thought. Wouldn't she ever get the chance to have something REAL with a guy? A few tears slowly ran down her cheeks.

She heard footsteps behind her, and she quickly wiped her eyes, wondering why Thom was back so quickly. She turned in her seat to see Kurt, in his human form, leaning against the door frame looking at her. She sat up a little straighter, surprised to see him.

"Kurt! What the heck are ya doing here? How'd ya know Ah was up here?" confusion was in her voice as she spoke. Not only because he was there, but because of the anger that was evident on his face. "What's wrong?" she said

"Your crying." he stated. She sniffed quickly wiping away the offending moisture.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." She smiled slightly at him, hoping to lay his fears to rest. But it didn't work. He moved over to her, sitting beside her in the seat that Thom had left. He continued to look at her, but the anger did not leave his eyes.

Looking down at his hands, he spoke to her softly "I saw ze two of you coming up here. Then I saw him leave so I thought I'd come see vhat you were up too." his brow furrowed a little and he continued. "Did he hurt you? Did he say somezing to you? Vhy are you upset?" He looked at her then, and she could not help but smile inwardly. _He's worrying about me!_ She loved the little blue freak.

Reaching over, she rested her hand on his shoulder.

"He didn't do anything Kurt. He went down to get us something ta eat; that's all." She knew that he would not leave her alone with Thom again unless she gave him an explanation. "Ah just wish sometimes that Ah could be normal. Ya know what I mean?" She looked him straight in the eye so he could see how serious she was. After a moment, he seemed to find the truth there, and he nodded in understanding. No one knew that feeling quite like he did.. A slow grin played across his face as he turned and looked out the window.

"You know, mein schwester, tis view is very nice." He propped his feet up on the low counter in front of them. "I think I might stay up here vith the two of you." He nodded his head in mock seriousness, leaning back in a relaxed position.

Rogue's eyes narrowed playfully at her little brother, "Oh, no ya don't! There is no way in heck Ah'm letting you stay up here Kurt. Ya go find your own view." She got up and lifted him from his seat by his collar, carrying him with ease to the door. She dropped him outside and smiled at him; he grinned back.

"Thanks bro." she said softly. "I really appreciate ya worrying about me." He nodded, patting her shoulder. "Tink noting of it. Ve are family. It is vhat ve do." With a small squeeze to her arm, he glanced around, and with a smile, teleported out of sight.

Rogue smiled to herself and then moved back to her seat. It was only about five more minutes before she heard the sound of soft footsteps outside the door. She opened it to reveal Thom, hands completely full of food, standing outside with a grin.

"Miss me?" he asked playfully, handing her half his load of junk.

"Nah… Ya weren't gone that long." she countered. "And how in the world do ya expect us ta eat all this? Ya have enough for an army here! Ah can't see how ya carried it all up here." They sat back down together on the seats and started arranging the food.

"Well, you might not, but I sure will. Unfortunately, I was born with my dad's eating genes. You should see the two of us at Christmas and other Holidays. Mom makes us wait till everyone else has eaten before we can. 'So they have a chance'." Rogue laughed at the thought.

They sat there together, watching the show and packing away food as if it was the last either would ever eat. Despite her previous statement, Rogue had her own king sized appetite, and she wasn't afraid to show it. By the time they were done, the concert was almost over, and the finale was going on below. The lights shown brightly and fireworks shot high in the sky behind the performers. A few times they shot over toward where the two of them were. It was startling and fun at the same time. When it was over, Rogue found herself wishing that they could restart the entire evening.

* * *

Thom leaned back from the edge of his seat as the last of the explosions went off. His eyes turned to where Rogue sat, staring at the fading lights with a happy look on her face. It was a face that he had a feeling, had not seen enough happiness. He too, found himself wishing that the evening wasn't almost over yet. With a sigh, she turned towards him, and for the thousandth time since they'd met, he found that he was losing himself in the depths of her deep green eyes.

He loved her eyes. They seemed to be filled with a wisdom that was hidden from the rest of her body. As if those eyes had seen more then their share of time and sadness. It made him want nothing more then to fall into them and get lost. He thought he might be able to spend forever just looking at them.

She broke contact first, blushing slightly, and it took all his strength not to reach out and lift her chin so that he could look at her again.

* * *

Rogue felt like she was going to turn into a ball of fire, her face felt so hot. She'd been staring at him again. Only this time, he'd been staring back. The look in his gentle blue eyes had made her feel warm and excited; more than she had ever before. For that brief moment, she had felt completely safe.

He must have sensed her discomfort, because he stood up. A grin replaced the serious look that had been there a moment before. He gathered up the trash they had from there 'dinner' and turned toward her.

"Are you about ready to get down there? I figure that if we wait too much longer, we're going to have to deal with a whole mess a people on their way out." she nodded, not knowing what else she could say. "Sure." she managed, and reached to help him get the trash.

On the way out, Thom closed back up all the locks, eliminating any trace of their presence. They made their way down carefully, keeping an eye out for any teachers who might not take kindly to their 'box seats'. People where already beginning to stream out of the bleachers and they were getting crowded. To Rogue's surprise, Thom reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her closer so that they would not get separated.

They got to the edge of the grounds, not quite to where the cars were but close. "I'll walk you to your car." he said quietly, but she shook her head. "Naw, I have to wait here for a couple of people who rode with me. They probably won't be here for a while."

He nodded slowly, looking down at their still joined hands. Rogue wondered if she even wanted to let go. He didn't look up, but she could feel the shyness in his voice as he spoke,

"I had a really good time tonight Rogue." he said in an almost whisper. They were standing really close, his head right above hers, and her heart started to pound. He continued, a little louder this time, as if he didn't want any mistake made about what he was saying. "I'd like to do something with you again sometime. If you'd like."

She had to use all her self control not to jump up in the air and scream 'Yes!' at the top of her lungs. But she didn't, not wanting to scare him off.

"Sure, that'd be nice. Ah'd like that. A lot. And Ah had a lot of fun tonight too." she stopped before she could babble on anymore. She looked up at him, and smiled at the goofy grin that he was sporting.

"Good! Awesome." he said, and they laughed a little. Then, the smile on his face faded, replaced by something else. Something she could not explain. She didn't know that the same looked was mirrored in her own eyes as she looked at him.

They stayed like that for a moment, and then, ever so slowly, Thom leaned down toward her. His hands moved from her hands up her arms, pulling her closer and up against him. She could feel the muscles of his chest and his arms around her. Her heartbeat was thundering in her chest, and she could not pull her eyes from his as he lowered his mouth toward hers.

She could feel the warmth of his breath as he leaned down. She could feel her own lips moving to respond to this wondrous feeling that was enveloping her.

Before their lips met, flashes of memory took hold in her mind. Memories of another time, another place, and another boy; one that she had almost killed. Though different, they were also the same, and Rogue knew she could not let those events repeat themselves. No this time.

No matter how hard it was, or how much she wanted this to happen, she could not have this. And it broke her heart.

She reached up, her gloved hand stopping his lips a few inches from her own. She took a deep breath, her mind scrambling for an excuse, though she knew she was only prolonging the inevitable. Her eyes met his, and she saw the confusion, and even hurt, that was running through them. She managed to say in a playful, almost light voice, even though she wanted to cry,

"Not on a first date. Not even if ya DO buy my ticket." she said firmly. She waited for his reply, half expecting him to get angry or worse, not care.

But to her surprise, his eyes showed no anger, or hurt. Another of his slow smiles took over his face, and her heart began to melt all over again. He backed up a little, taking her gloved hand in his again. He brought it to his lips softly. And even though his skin did not touch hers, that simple kiss sent fire through her body, the likes of which she did not even think possible.

"Fair enough. I should have thought of that." his grin was a little embarrassed as he spoke, and she longed to tell him that she wanted nothing more then to kiss him right then.

He pulled back the rest of the way though he did not let go of her hand, and she smiled at his chivalry. She had not enjoyed a guy's company, (except her brother and that was different) for a long time.

"Aww… And who said that gentlemen are a dieing breed?" she said with a chuckle, hoping to lighten the mood even more from the previous disaster.

Again they laughed. Then, Rogue glanced at her watch and said

"Ah've gotta go and find my ride mates. They should have been here forever ago." He smiled at her, his eyes looking deep into hers, and said back, "I'll come with yo…."

The sound of an explosion did not register right away to Rogue. But the sight of Thom being thrown back against a tree snapped her back to reality. Time seemed to stand still as she heard the screams of people in the background. She wanted to run to Thom see if he was alive. _No one could have survived hitting something at that force, _a detached part of her mind thought, the part that kept her from fully facing what she knew to be true. _The impacted would have been just too hard._ But instead, her training took over and she spun to face her enemy, ready to fight and kill the person who had done this.

What she saw caused her to pale as her face lost all color. As she stared in outraged horror at the monster coming toward her.

* * *

i/i/i/i/i/i/i/i/i/i/

* * *

(1) For those of you who don't know what a Stetson is, it is a cowboy hat.

* * *

So, what did y'all think? I'm not going to post again unless I get some reviews. Thanks to everyone who did last chapter! And please, I welcome any constructive criticism that you may have. :) Don't feel like you have to tiptoe around me. I like to know what I could do better. 


	8. Attack!

I love all of y'all! It's so great to get all these awesome reviews, and to know that you like this story. This one is for you!

Nelly-luvs-Jesus: Thank you! I'm really glad that you did like it! Rock on to you too:)

Black Rose TD: Thank you SO much for reviewing on this one for me! I love hearing from you! And I HATE Rogue powers too! They always get in the way of the good stuff. And I would have had one AWESOME kiss there. Yeah, you deserve such things as cliff hangers. You are cruel and heartless to your own readers as it is! I feel so simpathy for you! grins

-SoulMama- You know I love you girl! Where would I be on ANY of my stories if it wasn't for you? And it is unfortunate that there are so few guys that are like Thom anymore. I hope to bring them back! Who's with me?!? raises fist with a battle cry

o.o.o.o.o

_**Attack!**_

o.o.o.o.o

* * *

She hadn't known what to expect when she spun around to face Thom's attacker. She only knew that she had to defend herself and the other innocent people that might be nearby. So she wasn't at all ready for the sight of an angry Sabertooth as he bore down on her.

Her thoughts were in slow motion as she watched him coming closer and closer. She could smell the stink of old liquor and cigarette smoke that clung to him, and see the dirty clothing that hung off his filthy frame. She knew there wasn't enough time for her to move out of the way, or even to get her gloves off, so she just bent her knees slightly, and readied herself for the impact.

It came just as hard and painful as she knew it would. He slammed into her with enough force to knock the wind out of her, and her chest felt like he had cracked a couple of ribs. She let herself fall along with him as he took them both down to the ground, at the same time she turned and pushed herself away from him to avoid landing underneath. She has a feeling that was his intension, she would be helpless if he were to pin her arms.

When she came into contact with the ground, as painful as it was, she didn't stop or sit still. She let her momentum carry her as far away from the crazy monster as was possible. When she finally came to a stop, she had managed to get one glove off her hand. He was already up and moving toward her again, his eyes wild and angry that he had not bagged his catch as quickly as he'd wanted.

Rogue watched him, never taking her eyes from his face, even though she wanted desperately to check on Thomas. She jumped to her feet, chest aching, and stood her ground again. She was so mad at herself for letting him get in that first hit, and she knew she wouldn't be able to hold out long against him with this amount of pain burning in her. Unless she was able to touch him.

It was then that she noticed the full extent of the clothing he was wearing. Unlike is normal garb, that exposed as much of his skin as possible, he was now covered almost entirely in a thick black suite. Only his contorted, growling face was visible. Even his hands, where his claws sprang from, were covered. It was then that she realized this was no normal attack. He wasn't just lashing out at an X-Man he'd happen to see, as he'd done in the past. He wasn't even dressed like he'd come to take her out to avoid whatever trouble he was into at the moment.

The way he was dressed clearly showed that he had come here specifically for her, and not to just kill her. He'd only need this much protection if he needed to grab her. And he'd only need to grab her if he was trying to capture her.

The very thought of this terrified her. _Why? _If he was trying to mess with Logan like he'd done before, he'd go for someone like Kitty, or even Jubilee. They were not only easier to handle, but Logan had a special bond with them that was openly known. The friendship Rogue and Logan shared wasn't that notorious. A private thing really. And even then, they weren't as close as he was with the two younger girls.

Thoughts of what had happened with Apocalypse and Mystique's capture and misuse of her powers filled her mind. She would die a hundred times over before she'd let him take her to some fate like that.

She didn't have time to think on it any more as Sabertooth began to circle her. He was still weary of grabbing her; the thought of what she'd do to him if they came in physical contact wasn't a pleasant one. But the thoughts of another's contact and what had happened then were still fresh enough in his mind to force him into this.

Their eyes locked, Rogue kept herself facing him at all times, trying not to give him even the smallest opening. But with a fighter as good as Victor Creed, she knew she didn't have much time. Not to mention the fact that with every circle she made the pain got worse.

"Come one frail." his voice was soft and cruel as an evil smile played across his mouth. "I'm not gonna hurt ya a bit. Just come ta ol' Victor." She forced herself not to shiver at the sound of his voice, even though her fear was beginning to grow by the second.

"What the heck do ya want from me ya filthy, rotten flea-bag!" Rogue yelled out at him, trying to take her mind off the pain and fear threatening to take hold of her. "I'm not comin with ya for nothin!"

Madness replaced the anger in Creed's eyes, and with a howl of rage he lunged at her.

Years of training with the Logan, the 'master of unexpected attacks' was the only thing that kept her from falling to him them. She ducked and rolled, launching to her feet as she completed the dive. But she hadn't seen the knocked over trashcan that stood behind her. Just as she leapt to her feet and took a balancing step back, she tripped over the offending barrel.

She cursed herself and her stupidity all the way down, and she tried desperately to stand up. Unfortunately, it was already too late. Saber-tooth was on her. He slammed her head back with a punch to the jaw that had her seeing stars. He straddled her, his knees on either side of her torso, his hands pinning both her arms to the ground.

She realized with horror that she could not move and that, at that moment, he could do almost anything to her.

"It's too bad I'm in a hurry frail." Sabertooth growled above her, his voice husky and terribly playful. "This might be mighty interesting. If there's anything left of ya when ol' Ghost is done, we might have to try this again."

The feeling of his hot, stinking breath washing over her face made her want to gag. She fought with all her might, trying to find some part of him that wasn't covered that she could grab onto. Someway to stop this from happening.

While continuing to pin her arms at her sides, he reared back and punched her in the face again. It wasn't as hard as before, but it was enough to make her pause in her fighting from the shock and pain. He only needed that second to flip her around and pull her against his chest. Holding her tightly despite her renewed struggles, he stood up.

That didn't bode well and she knew it, as he picked her up and turned to leave.

"I can tell ya one thing girly. If ya don't fight, it won't hurt. Well, not as bad anyway." He whispered in her ear as he started walking.

That little sentiment only served to enhance her desperate struggles, and she could tell that it was making him angry.

"Stop it you little…" she brought her foot up as hard as she could into his groin and he roared in pain, though he didn't let go.

"You'll pay fer that!" he screamed, tightening his grip on her. So tight in fact, that she couldn't breathe; at all. She stopped fighting as she tried to get air into her starving lungs. She felt him laughing insanely as her vision began to blur.

It was just as she was about to pass out that she heard a familiar voice,

"You let her go! Ya monstrous freak of nature! Let her go before I kill you!" This was followed by a ringing crack, and Sabertooth lessened his grip on her.

_Thom! _Her mind cried out as she gulped as much air in as she could. There was another cracking sound, and suddenly, she was falling. Sabertooth had let her go!

The sound of a man's pain filled scream echoed out, blocking out any other noises that might have been.

She hit the ground hard since her limbs wouldn't respond to her urging them to support her. She lay on the ground coughing, choking, and gasping; tears running down her cheeks at the realization that the voice had indeed been Thom's, he wasn't dead.

A few moments went by, and then she felt gentle hand grasp her head, gently lifting her into a sitting position. Though her vision was still foggy, she managed to open her eyes and gaze into the terrified ones of her brother. He was stroking her head softly, tears streaming down his blue cheeks. _Why is he crying? _She thought through the haze that had seemed to envelop her. _And why the heck is his inducer turned off!?! _

As her eyes opened, his face and eyes filled with joy

"Oh thank you God!" Kurt cried out softly, choking back a sob. "Rogue I thought you were dead!" his voice sounded like he'd been crying, and she knew she had to do something. She reached up and gently brushed a strand of the indigo hair away from where it fell in his eyes.

"I'm fine little brother." her voice came out sounding creaky and old. It hurt even to talk a little.

It only took a second for her to snap back to what had been happening. Fear filled her heart as one name came to the front of her mind. _Thom! _She sat up as fast as her screaming body would allow and looked around, her eyes searching franticly for any sign of him or their attacker.

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Well? Any good? I hope you think so! I'm sorry it took me so long to get this one going again. And I'm really sorry that it's so short! But I should have the next chapter up within either this week, or the next. Please read & review, and if you have friends on FF please tell them to do so also. The only reason I keep these coming is for my fans. :)

Ok, here is the question of the day. Should Thom be a mutant? Or a human? I need your imput on this guys. Tell me which you think would make the story better.


	9. Heroes and Pain

**LuckyTurtle**I hope you'll like what I'm going to do with him. I love his character, and I'm glad so many people do too. As for his personality. I'm so glad you think of him like that! So do I, and I think it's cool that you felt that too. As for Rogue, I know her attraction to Thom seems a little out of character. And I think a lot of people might see it that way aswell. But I wanted to capture the image of a girl who for years now, has been along. She feels that in order to protect herself and those around her, she must push them away. I wanted to catch the feeling of what it would be like when she just couldn't 'push' anymore.

**iloveromys** Again, I'm glad you like the story. And I hope you like what I end up doing with Thom. I'm so glad that you are reading my story! It's so cool to have another reviewer!

**SouthernLoner** Thanks to you as well! I think I've found something better then mutation for our hero.

**redlight2099**: Acctually, you aren't far off. I think your review gave me the best idea I've had for this story yet. So thank you in advance! But you'll have to wait until it comes out to see it, and then you can try and guess what the idea was:)

**Black Rose TD**: You, my friend, are wonderful. I think you are my main reviewer so far. And yes, I only use cliff-hangers because of you. :) So everyone! You may all thank Black Rose TD here for all my cliff-hangers!! Thanks again for taking your time to review BR. I really appreaciate it!

Not that I don't love each and every one of my reviewers. (Especially the ones above) But where'd the rest of you run off to? I haven't heard from a bunch of y'all in a while. sniff I miss you!

Nelly-luvs-Jesus, -SoulMama-, Justin, Liz, Abril4… Come on guys I need you!!!

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I think it's pretty much been desided from all my reviewers that he should be a mutant, or at least different and with powers of some sort. So thanks to all of you for your oppinions on that. And I hope you all like the little hints you're about to read. –laughs crazily- 

Anyway, I'm off to post write more chapters! I need a buch of reviews if you want me to post again laughs evily So get typing people! I'll see you at the end of this chapter!!

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_**Heroes and Pain**_

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It took Thom a minute to realize that he'd been hit by something. One second he was going to offer to walk with Rogue to find her friends, admiring how perfect she looked standing so close, and the next thing he knew something had struck him hard in the chest and he was flying through the air toward a tree. He barely had time to prepare his body for the shock, letting his muscles relax instead of tensing up. Doing so might have gotten him killed. He remembered that much from his days at the Academy.

It didn't mean that hitting the tree didn't hurt though. He felt like he'd been run over by a truck several times. His shoulder slammed into the trunk, and he slid slowly down to the ground. He gasped for air and heard the sound of his ribs popping, and that's when he knew at least three of them had been broken.

He slowed his breathing, his eyes stayed closed as he forced himself to calm down and think through what had happened. Even so, the pictures and thoughts in his mind came only partially formed and disjointed.

_Standing there. Looking at her. She's beautiful. Feeling stupid about the kiss. Still wish… Something came flying towards me. A large rock? What the heck? Rogue talking. Sounding scared. Fighting._

He still couldn't move, but his mind began to clear as thoughts of Rogue filed through his head. Someone must have attacked them, but why? Slowly he opened his eye, foggy vision searching for her, trying to reassure himself that she was ok.

What he did see sent a shock of fear and anger through him the likes of which he'd never before experienced.

A large, hairy fellow in a black body suite sat astride her; keeping her from moving. Before Thom's horrified eyes the man pulled back and punched her in the jaw. He saw Rogue's head reel back slightly and for a moment she stopped moving.

The rage that he had so carefully learned to control, that he had spent years trying to master; forcing it back into the recesses of his mind, began to resurface. And this time, unlike all the other hours of intense training, this time, he let some of it come.

He could feel it as his blood began to boil, as the raging monster inside his mind threatened to loose itself on the world around him. Only now he welcomed it. Since the moment he had first laid eyes on this girl, he had know she was special. He had felt a bond between them, as if they shared some secret curse that forced them away from those they loved or held dear.

When he had first bumped into her in the hallway, and their eyes had met, he had wanted to get to know this girl better.

And now, this man, this creature, was hurting her. Why, Thom didn't know. But what was as clear as day in his mind was that this thing must pay.

The unbearable pain that had just racked his body faded into a dull ache at the back of his mind. He would feel it greatly later. But for this moment, he pushed it away.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he rose up to his feet. His normally sapphire eyes began to turn a pale, sky blue. The few who truly knew him, knew also that this was a sign that he had either lost or given up control. The pupils in his eyes slanted, turning into vertical slits as he began to limp toward Rogue's attacker. Slowly his limp disappeared as new strength flowed through him. His hearts began to beat double, then triple the speed any human heart could ever reach.

Rogue's assailant stood up with her in his arms and began to move away from him. She was fighting so hard, and she got a good, solid kick into his….. lower parts. Part of Thom let out a cry of triumph at her bravery, and he knew all the more that he must save her. The beast/man roared out in pain and began to squeeze her, cutting off her air supply.

_**He was almost there.**_

He saw her lips turning blue about the same time that he walked past a metal pole. He didn't stop to think. He reached out and yanked it free of it's bindings, not noticing as the small, old fashioned street lamp's light went out. His eyes no longer needed light to see.

His speed was increasing as he ran, the rage only growing stronger with every step.

"You let her go! Ya monstrous freak of nature! Let her go before I kill you!" The words rang out from his lips as he came toward them, he knew that the creature inside him wouldn't hesitate to destroy the thing that wanted to hurt its newly claimed treasure. But he didn't want to kill, no, not again. He had to give the attacker a chance.

Unfortunately, the man didn't take that chance. He did not even turn around as he carried off the suffocating Rogue. Thom lifted his acquired weapon and swung it in a warning blow that connected hard against the man's head. But he still wouldn't let her go. Thom's mind screamed out again as he brought the weapon down on him a second time.

This time the man reacted. Crying out in wild anger, he threw Rogue to the ground, whirling on whatever had caused him this pain.

Thom was more than ready for him. He took a few running steps back as the large man came at him. Thom wanted to draw him away from Rogue so that she would not be caught up in whatever was about to happen. It worked. The man kept coming at him, screaming with rage. Thom continued to back up, until there was a good sized gap between Rogue and the two of them.

He brandished the metal lamp like a huge javelin, holding it out in front of him to keep the other man at bay. It was only now that he got a good look at him.

His eyes were wild and insane, speaking of a soul-deep craziness that had long since consumed him. His hair was long and as wild as the rest of him, and from the tips of his massive fingers sprouted four inch claws that glinted like metal. He vaguely resembled some sort of distorted cat. _He's a mutant. _Thom thought in mild surprise. _Why is he doing this?_

But at the moment the _why_ did not matter. The cat-man lunged at him, aiming to take out his face with his strange claws. Thom ducked under the swing, bringing his weapon up to block. The feeling of impact sent a horrible pain through him, but he managed to force it back. Thom brought the pole back up and around to connect with the wild man's side, he had to duck again to avoid being socked in the jaw.

He wasn't as lucky on the next one. Despite the creature inside of him giving him added strength, his injuries where bad, and he was weakening. The cat-man slammed into him, throwing him into a parked car. He felt another of his ribs break, and he let out a moan of pain. As the man jumped onto him, he knew that he couldn't handle this. Using the last of his power, he threw a hard punch that hit into the side of the cat-man's head. Thom felt the crack of bone under his fist, and knew he'd broken the man's skull.

The man screamed, but to Thom's shock, didn't fall over. A hit like that should've killed him, but it didn't. And he began to throw a series of punches into Thom's gut. They grappled on the ground for a few more seconds before something else crashed into the back of the cat-man. He let out a howl of rage as a bombardment of objects began to pummel him.

He grabbed a hold of Thom's shirt and pulled him up until their faces were only an inch apart.

"I can't stick around with them here." He snarled. "But I can promise you this punk, you will pay for interfering with me!"

"Likewise." Thom's voice was deeper and rang out like a gong as he spoke through spilt and swelling lips. "If you've hurt her permanently in any way, I will hunt you down like the animal you are and kill you." The last few words were whispered, and even though the boy was beaten up really bad, Sabertooth had a feeling from the sound of his voice that he meant it. And worse, that he could accomplish it.

He shook the feeling off as he sensed the arrival of more people, Sabertooth punched Thom one more time before getting up and running. He was hit with a few more heavy objects, and one powerful blast of ruby red energy before he was able to make a full escape.

He only looked back once at his failed mission. His only satisfaction was the fact that the boy was not getting up, or even moving for that matter.

At least there was that.

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If he'd stayed just a moment longer, he might have seen the flash of light emanating from Thom's eyes, signaling an oath made that cannot be broken. Then the light faded, and the vertical pupils slowly rounded out into that of normal eyes.

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Kurt was enjoying a few last minutes of conversation with a school friend of his when he heard the screams. He turned toward the sound, noticing that it was coming from the direction of the parking lot. He waved good-bye and headed in that direction. As soon as he was out of site, he took off running, wishing for the millionth time that he didn't have to wear his image inducer and run on only two legs. It was so much faster when he ran on all four.

He caught site of Jean and Scott running up ahead of him with some of the other girls from the Institute. He came up along side her and pointed toward the parking lot that was just coming into view. She nodded and he grabbed her hand for them to teleport. They out and then reappeared next to the parking lot.

Kurt froze in horror as he saw what was going on.

Rogue was laying on the ground a few yards away, her face blue and her eyes closed. Thom and Sabertooth were fighting for all they were worth a few steps from where she was. Thom looked like he was in a bad way, his clothing was torn, and he was bleeding from a bunch of small wounds that covered him. But that wasn't the most amazing thing.

He was wielding what looked like one of the many 7 foot lamps that bordered the parking area. It must have weighed a ton, and Kurt had no idea how he'd gotten at it, but he was whacking the snot out of Sabertooth.

Jean yelled out to him,

"Kurt, go see to Rogue, I'll deal with Sabertooth!" she said. He didn't need to be told twice. He made a mad dash over to his sister. Falling to his knees beside her, he gently reached out to cradle her head in his lap. He'd never prayed so hard for anything in his life before, than that she'd open her eyes and be ok.

He let out a cry of relief when she did, tears of joy running down his cheeks. She looked like she wasn't completely aware of their surroundings, her eyes were slightly glassy and confused. They cleared a bit as she looked at him. One of her hands reaching up to carefully brush his face, clearing the hair from his eyes.

"I'm ok little brother." she said. And then her eyes cleared, taking on a frantic look and she pulled herself up into a sitting position.

"Kurt where's Thom!" she screamed, but her voice only came out a small whimper, her throat sounded like she'd had a really bad cold.

They both turned to look in the direction of the fighting, and Kurt had to fight to hold on to his sister to keep her from joining in. She began to shiver as she watched Jean join in the battle to get Sabertooth away from Thom. And then Scott came barreling around the corner and out into the lot, his glasses off, emitting blast after blast at the brutal mutant. Sabertooth apparently couldn't take it anymore, and with one last punch to Thom's face, he leapt up and ran off.

Rogue waited in horror for Thom to get up, to move, something; anything. But nothing happened. With a choked off cry she shoved her brother's arms from around her own shoulders and dashed across to Thom's limp form. She made it there a step ahead of the two older mutants, dropping to her knees alongside him.

She winced from the pain in her chest and arms where Creed had grabbed her. But overall she barely noticed her pain. The only thoughts that ran through her mind were that Thom had tried to save her! He had risked his own life, maybe even sacrificed it for her. And they had only just met!

She reached out and touched his forehead with her gloved hand, her fingers trembling as she brushed back the mess of bloody, black hair that lay there. She let out a soft sob and whispered gently to him,

"Please Thom, don't die. I'll do anything, just don't die. Please, please, please…." she kept up that soft chant, even as the others came up to stand behind her. She heard Scott tell someone to go get the car, quickly. And then warning about there might be more of them. Someone ran off to do what he'd asked, but Rogue didn't know who.

Her head was bent over him, her tears falling down on his cheeks. The only thing she could think of was that this was all her fault. She was still saying 'please' over and over again when she felt a slight stirring under her stroking fingertips.

Her head shot up at the sound of a broken, but alive, Thom saying,

"Shhh… now darlin. I'm not dead yet. And you're getting me all wet here. Are you trying ta drown a fellow?" His voice was playful as he looked at her through eyes that were already swelling shut. She let out what sounded like a mix between a sob and a laugh as she continued to stroke his hair.

"You better not be dead." She managed to choke out. "You promised me we'd do something else, and Ah intend to hold ya ta that." He smiled as she spoke, wincing as it opened his cut lip even more.

"Hang on Thom, we're gonna get ya some help ok? Ah promise, you're gonna be just fine." She hoped with all her strength that that was right.

Just then she heard the sound of one of the X-vans pulling up next to them. Scott came up on one side of her, Jean stood on her other.

"Rogue, he's bleeding pretty bad, we need to get him back home. All right?" Scott's voice was calm, gentle, and firm as he spoke quietly into her ear. She managed a slight nod, forcing herself to pull away as she watched Jean use her telekinesis to gently lift Thom into the van. She placed him on one of the emergency stretchers that popped up from the floor when needed.

Rogue climbed in next and took up a seat by his head, going back to stroking the side of his face. She felt, rather than saw, Kurt sit beside her and thoughtfully wrap a blanket around her shoulders. She looked up at him with a tight smile before going back to watching Thom. It seemed that he had slipped into a light doze. She didn't know whether that was good or bad in his condition.

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The other X-Members piled and crammed into the van, Jean asked Scott what to do about their other cars. He told her that they'd pick them up tomorrow. He didn't want to take any chance they'd be attacked again. Then Jean told Kitty and Allison to sit up front with Scott and she moved to the back with Jubilee.

She gave Rogue a reassuring smile and then went to work on Thomas. Jean was studying to become a doctor, and she already knew how to tend to minor wounds. These types of injuries were still far beyond her, but it was better than nothing at the moment.

With Kurt and Rogue's help, and a bit of her own telekinesis, she was able to stop most of the major bleeds. But it was obvious from the small amount of blood trickling from his mouth, that he had some internal damage. Looking at him, Jean wondered if he would even make it to the mansion in time.

She sent a telepathic message to Scott, so as not to scare the others, that he had to speed it up. They didn't have much time.

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Allright! Another one ready and posted! dances around Yeah!

Sooooo….. What did ya'll think of my Thom teasers?? Ummm…..?

If you're a book worm like me, you might have read the book that I've based Thom off of. It is my favorite book sereies of all time!!! If you haven't, well, you'll just have to wait until my mind clears of all writers' block and I get out another chapter.

Oh, and if you want another one, you must review! I'm shooting for a minimum of 10 reviews. Then I'll post again. So tell your friends and review yourselves!!! Until then I will wait, write, and wait some more. See you then!


	10. Questions Without Answers

coup fatal: Thanks. So do I. They don't make 'em that good anywhere BUT in Texas. Can ya guess where I'm from? -grins-

Black Rose TD: I think my favorite part of your review was the "Oh squee!" part; I laughed hard at that. Go ahead and send me your hate mail! I love a good challenge. And if someone will take the time to send you flames, it means that your story is good enough that they are willing to take time out of their schedule to send it to you! abril4: I hope you like it. -grins- He wakes up in the next chapter. I'm still trying to work out some of his background, but I think I have the main bit down. :) 

PREDATOR: It's about time you showed up little bro!! I was wondering if you'd EVER review any of my stories! Yeah, the one you read was pretty short. You think it's like Mutation? Oh well, I guess I'll take that as a good thing. :)

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**Questions without Answers**

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Rogue found herself thinking that they were all lucky Scott was such a good driver. At the speed they were going, especially around tight turns and bumps in the dark, anyone else might have crashed long ago. A distant part of Rogue's mind was amazed that they didn't get pulled over by the police.

She had noticed that Scott had tried to contact the mansion several times. Each one only resulted in a flow of static. This could only mean someone was blocking their signal. Rogue could tell that Scott was worried about another attack.

They made the normally twenty minute drive from Bayville in less than ten. Scott didn't even stop to open the gate, he had Kitty -_phase_- them right through. Coming up the long driveway was the first time he slowed down since they started moving.

They flung the doors to the van open and began piling out. Rogue didn't want to leave Thom's side, but she knew she had to get out so they could easily remove the stretcher.

"Ah'll stay close, Ah promise. Just hang in there. We made it, and you're going to be just fine now." She bent and whispered softly in his ear, then hopped out of the van.

Beast was just coming out of the door, a gentle smile on his big blue face.

"Hello young X-Men! I trust you all had an enjoyable night? You are right on time for….." He stopped mid sentence when he caught sight of Rogue's beat-up body climbing painfully out of the van.

"By my stars and garters! Rogue are you alright?" He moved immediately toward her, reaching out to steady her as she swayed on her feet.

"Ah'm fine." Rogue said, her voice still sounding like a coffee grinder. "But we need ya help Doc. Thom's in real bad shape, and you've gotta help him!" She grabbed a hold of his arm and pulled him into the van.

"Thom? Who my dear is…." Again he was stopped mid sentence by the sight of the bloodily patched up young man lying on the stretcher.

After that Hank didn't ask questions; that could wait. It was more than obvious that this young man could not.

Hank issued orders with calm assurance guiding the stretcher, with Scott's help, into the mansion and down to the medical bay. After moving him as gently as possible onto one of beds, he began to look him over. Rogue never left his side as he scanned, tested, and went over the now drugged and passed out body of her would-be boyfriend. The pain in her chest was bad, but she didn't want to take any of Hank's time or skills away from Thom.

After a few minutes, Hank looked up to where Rogue was standing. In the kindest voice he could manage, he said,

"Rogue, scans show an excessive amount of internal bleeding. From his breathing, I would guess that one of his lungs might have been punctured in whatever has transpired. I have to operate immediately."

The little color still left in Rogue's face drained away, but she managed a nod. She felt Kurt come up behind her and gently take her shoulders, pulling her away. She wanted to fight it, to stay, but she knew they wouldn't let her while Hank was operating. So with one last gentle brush with her fingers on his cheek, she let Kurt pull her out into the hallway.

Jean had summoned the Professor, and the others had told him what little they had seen or participated in. Rogue knew that she had to talk to him now, but she really didn't want to.

His eyes were very worried as he took in her bruised and cut-up appearance.

"Rogue, it seems you where at the forefront of this attack." His deep voice reverberated softly in the underground metal hallways. "Would you please shed some light on this… situation?"

With a sigh she nodded and took a seat in one of the chairs outside the medical bay doors.

"Ah don't understand it Professor. Thom and Ah had just gotten out of tha concert and we were just standing in the parking lot. Ah was waiting for some of the girls to meet me out there so Ah could drive them home." She paused for a moment, thinking back and trying to remember every detail.

"We were just talkin, and then what Ah think must have been a big rock came out of nowhere and slammed Thom back into a tree. Then Sabertooth jumped out and attacked me."

She told Xavier about what had happened. How she'd been about to be carried off, and how Thom had started beating the crap out of Sabertooth to save her. And how the others had shown up to save them both.

"Ah don't know what he was talkin about, but Sabertooth said something about a ghost wanting me. Ah couldn't understand what he meant."

The Professor had remained silent through this account, but his eyes became increasingly worried. The same questions of why were running through his mind. None of what his students where telling him made even the smallest amount of sense.

Before he could say anything, a furious growl erupted from the direction of the elevators. All the present X-men turned just in time to see a wild-eyed Wolverine come barreling around the corner toward them. He had gone out to get a drink earlier that night and had returned too late to witness the arrival of the younger set.

"Charles, what the heck is going on here? One of the vans is outside the front door and there's blood all in it. What happened?" He stopped as his eyes came to rest on Rogue and the state she was in. He began walking toward her, his face holding a worried look, when he took a sniff and froze.

"Sabertooth." was the only word that came out of his mouth. Rage filled his eyes and another growl came from deep in his throat. "Somebody better start talking right now!"

Luckily for Rogue, she didn't have to go over it again. The Professor filled Logan in about the happenings at the concert, and though he was far beyond furious, Logan agreed that it didn't sound like Sabertooth's beat. Logan would have gone right then and there to track down his old nemesis and rip his heart out, but Ororo stopped him by saying,

"I understand your need to find the answers Logan. But what if this happens again? Creed was obviously ready to go to great lengths to capture Rogue. Might it not be better to wait in case of a further attack?" Her voice, calm and reassuring, spoke the truth. And as much as they could tell he hated the idea, he agreed that it was probably better. Though he grumbled quite a bit under his breath.

The Professor turned back to Rogue to ask her something, but found that she had drifted to sleep, sitting up in her chair. He smiled sadly at her, worried about what damage, both physical and mental, that this might have caused her. Though it didn't show in his face, the Professor was himself beyond angry. It took all his will power and strength not to reach out with his thoughts, find Sabertooth and smite him wherever he stood.

But now was not the time for smiting, they needed answers first. Sabertooth might not have been the only one behind this. After he knew for certain, things might change. Then might be the time for more, _permanent, _actions.

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The thin man stood with his back to Creed facing out a window that overlooked the city of New York. He wasn't gazing at anything really; his emotions were boiling around behind his pale, dead looking eyes. Rage at the incompetence of the help he had hired being the most prominent. He had been set to begin tonight as soon as the one he wanted was drawn in. He had been ready for what had been about to transpire.

What should have been a simple mission, the large brute had turned into a complete failure.

"All I asked of you _Victor_," the name was spit out like a bad piece of food, "was that you grab the girl. Was that so very much to ask? I even gave you a suit to protect you from any attack she might be able to put up, including giving you the added strength you would need to fight her. And I blocked all possible communications to or from her friends."

He took in a deep, hissing breath.

"But instead of quickly snatching up our little snippet of bait, you had to not only lose her, but alert the entire body of freaks to the fact that you are trying to get her!" His words had risen in pitch and volume until he was screaming at the other.

Victor dropped to his knees, hands over his ears at the high pitch sounds. Blood began to seep through his fingers as his eardrums exploded, healed, and then exploded again. He felt as if his brain and skull were about to shatter from the pressure that just kept building in them.

When the man had finally finished his ranting, Creed was able to breathe and take his hands away. If it weren't for the power this creature wielded, he would have killed him the second he spoke out like that. But, though it was beyond hard to believe, he was afraid of this _thing_. He had carried a certain amount of fear of Magneto. That was why he'd followed him. But not like this, he'd never even considered bowing to the ol' bucket head. Now he was trapped in a partnership that he had no escape from. Trapped like the slave he'd told himself he'd never become again. And every part of his being screamed in agony over it.

"I tried to get to her before any of the others did. But she was with someone. I thought I'd taken him out, but he must have been less injured then I'd thought. He hit me in the back of the head with a streetlamp. And I had to drop the girl to defend myself." He hated making excuses. He would have just preferred to go out again and get the little witch.

"He must've been a mutant, because no human could hit that hard. And he had these glowing…." The pale man held up his hand, and Victor shut up, not wanting to have his brain shattered again.

"Spare me your excuses. The point is that you've failed me. I should kill you for this, but at the moment you are still useful."

Ghost let out a deeply frustrated sigh. He would enjoy killing the healing mutant when he no longer needed him. But for now, as he'd said, Creed was still useful.

"We will have to wait… _again._" He snarled softly, more to himself then the kneeling mutant. "You stay away for a few weeks, so that their guard will lower. Then, when I command it, you will begin following the girl. Wait until she is this time. You may leave now"

Victor nodded not wanting to draw attention to himself. Slowly and silently, he stood. Turning his back on the pale man was one of the hardest things he'd ever done, so afraid was he that he was about to be attacked.

He had made it to the door when the other's voice stopped him.

"Oh, and Victor? If this time you fail me. I will make you pay in ways that even cannot imagine." His voice was a mere whisper, but it carried to every corner of the room. With a final nod and an inward shudder, Creed left the penthouse and got as far away as possible.

The man remained by the window for the rest of the night, he required no sleep, and time had no meaning for him. He reflected on the words of the cat-mutant, forcing back his seething anger at yet another delay.

"Oh well," his voice hissed out again, this time with grim humor. "I've waited 200 years. What's another few months?"

Unknown to him though, was that he had made a vital mistake in not letting his henchman finish describing the girl's defender. For the last few words that would have come from Victor's mouth, "eyes with vertical silver pupils" would have made a huge difference in his plans. And Victor might have taken heart if he had seen the terror that would have washed over the Ghost's pale face at the mention of such eyes.

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Umm… Creepy right? I'd hoped so. -laughs crazily- Just wait until you read what comes later! 

Please R&R! I really want your opinions girls and boys. I need feedback! And I won't post the next chapter without it:) -laughs evilly-

Oh! And for all my wondrous reviewers out there! I wanted to tell y'all that I'm moving this story to the category X-Men Evolution. I don't know why, but the inspiration to do so came to me and I've learned to follow such thoughts. :) I hope you will all still review for me. -whimpers- I can't bear the thought of writing without you!!


	11. Fear, Relief & other Bothersome Feelings

**Iloveromys:** Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. Here is the update.

**Black Rose TD:** Hey!! I was wondering why your review showed up anonymous. What's up with that:) Thank you by the way, my awesomeness amazes even me sometimes. Oh yes, Logan is VERY hot when he's angry. I was debating on whether or not I wanted him to catch himself an extinct cat and kill it slowly. But I decided that it didn't fit in as well with my plot… Ouch! Ok, ok… my plot bunnies told me that I couldn't. –glares at dumb rabbits- I'm glad I'm 'squee ' worthy by the way. -bows- Thanks again, and you better review on this one!! If you don't, I'll die and never be able to write another chapter again!

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**Fear, Relief, and other Bothersome Feelings**

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Rogue opened her eyes slightly, closing them again at the bright light filtering in through her window shades. 3:45 am was the time she'd managed to glance on her alarm clock. She snuggled deeper under the covers, pulling them up around her neck, not ready to meet the day as of yet. As she did so, her chest protested such movements and she moaned in pain. She couldn't figure out why she felt so bad. Had they had a Danger Room session yesterday? No, yesterday had been Saturday, and that was their day off. It had been the night of the concert too.

Rogue's eyes flew open a second time as those thoughts hit her like ten tons of bricks. Images of the night before came flooding back, washing over her in an angry torrent of fear and sadness. She could see Thom lying there in the van as they drove him to the mansion, blood leaking from multiple wounds that covered his chest and the rest of his body.

Tears came to her eyes as she stumbled out of bed. Hank had said he would have to operate, and she had resolved to sleep outside the door of the med-bay until there was word. Be it good, or bad.

She had enough sense to glance in the mirror to make sure she had something on. Someone must have cleaned her up and changed her into her pajamas. It was most likely Jean because the pajamas she was wearing were the ones Jean had given her for last Christmas. They were red and black silk pants with a tank top. Not really her style, but she had to admit they were comfortable.

She didn't even think of pausing to get dressed as she flew out of the west dormitory wing of the mansion. She didn't pass anyone in the halls, but that wasn't unusual at this time of morning on a Sunday. No one was even considering getting up yet.

She almost screamed with impatience at the short wait for the elevator. It had never seemed to take this long before.

As soon as it was open she jumped inside and pressed the sub-basement button over and over until the doors closed and she was moving downward. She forced herself to take a couple of deep breaths, trying to stay calm when all she wanted to do was cry and scream. She was out of the doors before they were fully open, and running down the hall.

She didn't know what she'd do if she got there and found out he hadn't made it through the surgery. She just couldn't think like that. She had to stay positive or she was going to end up killing something.

She neared the doors and slowed her pace, fear finally taking over her mind. Thoughts and pictures of the most horrific sites flashed through her, and she almost threw up. She peeked around the doorframe, heart pounding, and chest heaving from her running. At first she didn't see him, and for a terrifying moment she thought he might have died.

Then she noticed Hank sitting at his desk, wearing a new set of clothing from the night before. She entered and walked nearer to him, planning on asking him about Thom. But as she got there, she saw that he wasn't just sitting there. He was leaning on one arm, sound asleep and snoring loudly.

Surely he wouldn't have fallen asleep if something had gone wrong? But then again, maybe that was just why he did. Before she could wake him up, she noticed that some of the curtains were drawn around one of the beds. With slow and deliberate steps she walked over to it, reaching up with shaking hands to pull it back.

He was lying there, propped up with several pillows, sleeping.

The tears broke loose after that, and she moved to sit on the side of his bed; careful not to bump or touch him and wake him up. The first thing she noticed was that almost everything visible on him was wrapped up in bandages. His chest was wrapped tightly, and Rogue knew that meant he had broken a few ribs. Another set of cloth covered one whole arm and part of the other. The one that worried her most though was the one tied around his forehead.

Whenever they went through emergency medical training, Hank always said that head wounds were the worst because of possible brain damage. Had that maybe happened to him? She shuddered at the thought.

She didn't know how long she'd sat there; time seemed to be passing quickly and slowly at the same time. She reached out and stroked his bandaged arm as gently as she could. She didn't want to go, but she knew she was probably not supposed to be in here. So with a great lack of enthusiasm, she stood to leave.

"Stay." The words were muffled, but there was no denying where they came from.

"Thom?" Her own voice sounded hoarse and scared to her own ears, and she was ashamed of the desperate note that hung in them.

One eye opened slightly, revealing the unbelievable sapphire blue under those dark lashes. "I think that's me. Well, it was the last time I checked anyway." She couldn't believe that in his condition he was joking. He sounded just like Kurt! But at that moment, it was the most wonderful thing she had ever heard.

Resisting the urge to throw her arms around his neck, knowing it might hurt him, she said quietly.

"Well that's really good ta hear. Ya had me worried there for a while." Blushing at the way that had come out she backtracked, "Well, Ah mean ya had us all worried. Ya weren't in the best of shape."

"Ummm…. All in a day's work." He sounded sleepy. "But admit it; you were worried about me too huh? Go on, you can say it." His words were playful now, and Rogue's blush deepened. He must have seen so because a smile came to his lips, and he chuckled. That instantly turned into a soft moan of pain as his injured ribs shook.

"Shhhh… Stupid, ya gonna hurt ya self again!" Rogue said worriedly. But he just kept smiling.

He looked at her for a long moment, and she found herself lost again in the depths of his unfathomable blue eyes. She felt as if she was riding the crest of an enormous wave as it took her deeper into unknown places. But she wasn't afraid in the least. Not at that moment, place, or time. She had never felt safer.

As she watched, it seemed as if his eyes were changing, the blue becoming more intense, the color deepening to a level that made her heart pound and her cheeks flush with heat. She knew she must have imagined it, but the pupils seemed to lengthen. She felt as if she was being pulled in, drawn to a place she'd never been before, a place where she had no control. She could only surrender and allow it to pull her on.

Fear filled her as she wondered over this amazing feeling, but she didn't pull away. She would have gone anywhere with those deep blue, strange eyes. She felt her body leaning in, wanting to follow wherever her heart was so intent on traveling. Thom leaned in a bit closer, and then to her surprise, his eyes filled with shame. And then, as if some giant had cut the rope guiding her in, the link was broken.

Thom turned his head away slightly and Rogue felt as if some wonderful thing had been lost. She wanted to cry, but she wasn't sure for what.

Then she saw the exhaustion that seemed to take over his face, as if the mere act of waking and talking were like that of running some marathon. He sighed deeply, his bandaged hand that rested in hers tightening slightly.

"Promise me something Rogue." He whispered softly, his eyes beginning to droop.

Surprise replaced the sense of lost and she leaned in closer to hear him better. "Sure, anything Ah can."

He took a slow, deep breath, his eyes closed now. "Promise me that when I wake up, you'll tell me why I'm in a hospital. And more importantly, why there is a large, blue gorilla standing there grinning at us."

Rogue glanced back just in time to catch a glimpse of Dr. McCoy as he pulled back from where he'd been standing. And he was most certainly grinning.

She couldn't help it, she laughed softly.

Turning back to Thom she whispered, "Yeah, Ah promise Ah'll tell ya all about it."

He nodded, and then drifted off into, what she hoped with all her heart, were pleasant dreams. And what a small part of her hoped, were dreams about her.

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Rogue sat there for a moment, her eyes straying over Thom's now sleeping form. Whishing with all her heart that she could take away the wounds that plagued him. With a deep sigh she hung her head, rubbing her eyes with her one of her ungloved hands.

Glancing down, she noticed fully for the first time that she and Thom were holding hands. Her face paled as she realized that she didn't have her gloves on, and a patch of his exposed skin was almost touching her own! She yelled at herself silently, cursing her stupidity. If she'd accidentally brushed against him, it might have caused a big enough shock as to kill him! She took in another deep breath as she carefully removed her hand from his. She forced herself not to get over upset; to stay calm.

It was then that she heard the sound of a throat being cleared, and she turned to see Dr. McCoy motioning her toward him through a gap in the curtain. She didn't want to leave Thom, but she knew that she couldn't just ignore the doctor. So with another soft sigh and one last glance at the sleeping figure, she stood and moved from the enclosed area.

Dr. McCoy was sitting at his desk again; he gave her one of his kindly smiles, and motioned for her to sit in the chair opposite of him. She did so gratefully, she hadn't realized before how terribly sore her body was.

"Well, my dear. I'm quite pleased to see that you are up and around so quickly after your most unpleasant assault. Though I must say I'm surprised that you are awake at such an early hour. But since you are, would you mind if I look over your injuries? I would like to confirm my earlier belief that none of your ribs are in fact broken."

"Sure, ok." She fought back a yawn as she moved to one of the bio-beds. Hank checked her over, his hands gentle as he felt the bruised places. After a moment, he said again.

"Yes, I am quite sure that they were indeed only cracked and not broken. That is a great relief, but you must be sure to rest and not move around to a great extent for a time. I would hate to see them damaged further."

Rogue nodded, this time the yawn escaped her mouth, almost making her fall backward. Hank chuckled again, resting a large blue hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"Perhaps you should go back upstairs and rest for a few more hours. You of course are excused from any and all of the Danger Room sessions that were planned for the next week or so." She wanted to protest that, to say she'd be fine but he anticipated this and held up his hand, forestalling any arguments.

"Those are doctor's orders my dear. I do not want you to strain yourself needlessly. You can make up for a week's rest at a later date."

Rogue sighed, and then nodded as another yawn made her ribs protest. But she didn't want to leave until Thom had woken up. She knew what it was like to wake up in a strange place, and she didn't want him to freak out and hurt himself. Hank noticed her looking toward the covered section and gently patted her shoulder.

"I plan on giving our young hero a sedative that should keep him slumbering for at least a few hours. I promise that I will rouse you when he shows any signs of awakening." he said reassuringly.

She knew she didn't really have a choice after that. And after patting the doc's hand and nodding, she made her way back upstairs. She muffled a yawn as she once again slid under the warm covers.

But despite how tired she was, she couldn't go right to sleep. She kept remembering Thom's words, and her promise to explain everything when he woke up. The implications of that were only just occurring to her. What could she tell him? If she told the truth, that they were in a school for mutants, it would mean he'd know about her.

She couldn't lie to him; he deserved to know the truth after saving her life. Though she knew what she had to do, it didn't make it any easier, and it didn't stop her from quietly crying herself to sleep.

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After Rogue had left the sick bay, Hank McCoy stretched out his large arms and sighed. The surgery for the young lad had gone exceedingly well, much better then he could have hoped for. He had run a few blood tests as well, searching for any diseases or infections. All of them had come back clean.

He had been a little surprised. The lad wasn't only healthy despite his wounds, he was perfectly sound. Some instinct in the doctor sent his alarm bells ringing. Very few people can lay claim to being _perfectly_ healthy; well, unless you were Logan.

So he had simply redone a few tests as well as a few more complex ones; looking for any anomalies in the boy's blood. He had also done several X-rays of his chest to check on the damaged ribs. He thought he was probably being paranoid, sometimes he did worry too much, but wasn't it better to be safe than sorry?

With another sigh, he peeked around the corner of the curtains, checking on Thom's status. He was still sleeping soundly, and that was good. He'd been fidgeting for a while before Rogue had come in and talked to him.

The blue man's face lit in a soft smile as he again closed the curtain. Rogue had always seemed distant with people; even her younger brother could not seem to reach her fully. He could happily admit that she had come a long way since she joined them, but she still did not seem close to anyone. But if the way she had spoken and been looking at the young Thom was any clue, that might well be about to change.

A large yawn erupted without warning from Hank's mouth. He hadn't realized until then how tired he was. Being awake for over 24 hours, 4 of them being spent in surgery, would have exhausted anyone. He moved sleepily over to the coffee pot, filling up one of the large cups he'd been given as a Christmas present. The liquid was cool and horrible tasting, but he was too tired to care.

He thought about going over to his desk and re-entering that wonderful state of REM that Rogue had unwittingly awakened him from. But the beeping of one of the machines caught his attention. It seemed that some of the more complicated blood tests, as well as the X-rays he'd done, had finished.

_Still, perhaps they could wait until morning…. _he thought

He lifted the papers from the printer, and the X-ray slides from their tray, and set them in a stack on his desk. He would have left them there, if not for something catching the corner of his eye.

He picked up the slide and held it up to the light. And nearly choked on the sip of coffee he was taking.

He pulled up his large swivel chair, sitting down at his desk. Shock covered his face as he looked over the picture. He grabbed the stack of papers from where he'd laid them, shuffling through them as quickly as he could. Turning to his computer screen he looked over the flashing numbers and words that were there as well.

In all the many tests, the conclusion was the same.

_This is impossible_! He leaned back in his chair, the scientist in him rejecting what he saw. _It cannot be correct!_

Yet, all the scientific equipment he had at his disposal said it was.

_How could I have possibly missed this during surgery? _He wondered.

_Because you were so focused on any damaged done to the lungs! You did not look for any other anomalies other then the obvious wounds! _He berated himself

His fingers began typing furiously on his keyboard, his fatigue forgotten. He double and triple checked all the information he had gathered before, redoing the X-rays several times. And when they all said the same thing, time and time again, he gathered up his findings and practically ran all the way to the Professor's study. Hopefully he'd be awake; Hank really didn't think this could wait until morning.

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Ok, I promise he's going to wake up in the next chapter, and then I'm going to speed things along. Sorry for the wait I've been putting y'all through. But I'm trying my best to make it up to you. :)

-Psy


	12. Why Not?

**Announcement!!** As you can see, I've changed my authors' name. But it is still me:)

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Yes, I know I haven't been keeping up with my writings. And for that my dear readers, I am truly sorry. I've been so busy lately that I keep putting it off, and then I look up and another week has gone by.I hope y'all are still interested in this story; because I really am starting to like writing it again.Though come one people. Only four reviews?? I find that painfully insulting. Though I love the four of you that did and I'm VERY grateful to you all. –sigh- But so many people added me to their author/story alert that I was hoping for some more reviews.But! All is not lost! I am back with more story for you, and now, you must read! And review!Now, a special thanks to the loyal readers who took a bit of time out of their busy schedule. I love ya'll!!

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**Black Rose TD**: That's ok, I don't mind you showing up anon. :) I was just wondering if there was something weird going down with my comp. Thank you! I'm SO glad that Thom's character is going over so well with everyone! Oh, and I really wouldn't try and take him from Rogue. –rubs scar on head- I tried to just borrow him once, and well… let's just say she was VERY ticked. And yes, poor Hank. I do like him so, and I think he looks cute too. All blue and fuzzy. So is Kurt for that matter… Ummmm…. I wonder if Rogue would mind me borrowing her brother instead… -runs off calling for Rogue-**lovestoread**: I'm glad you love this so much too! I like that part that you mentioned from last chapter best. –grins- I thought it was one of the funniest parts I've had. I'm glad you like Thom too. :) 

**knoxvilleloversc**: Thanks! I'm hoping that the story line will be really original. I wanted to try something new, and I'm SO glad that you like it!

**flamingrose**: Thanks for reviewing! Here's your update, and I'm sorry again that it took so long.

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**Why Not?**

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A gentle hand on her arm woke her from a sound sleep. She jumped, spinning in her bed to confront her attacker, hands up at the ready to fight. She'd been having a dream where Sabertooth was chasing her and she was losing ground. He had just reached out a hand to grab her arm... 

"Easy there darlin." Logan's voice, though gruff, was kind. "I didn't mean ta startle ya that bad."

Rogue took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She reached up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and nodding that it was ok.

"How ya feelin?" There was just the hint of worry behind that question, and Rogue hid a smile.

"Ah'm fine. Still tired though." It seemed to hit her then that he was in her room, standing by her bed, and she certainly hadn't heard him knock.

"Hey! What are ya doing in here anyway? Is something wrong?" The annoyance from the first part of that sentence died out into worry as she looked up at her teacher and friend.

"Naw kido, nothins wrong. I just came up here because Hank sent me." Rogue paled a little and Logan lifted his hands to stop her from talking. "He's fine, but Hank says he starten ta come 'round. The Prof thinks it might be a good idea if you're there when he does."

Rogue nodded and slid out from under her blankets. She and Logan didn't speak again as they made their way to the sub-basement. Though she wanted to get there quickly, Rogue found her feet wouldn't go any faster than a slow walk. Thoughts of what she had to say filled her mind and she wanted to run back to her room and hide under the covers forever.

But she had made a promise.

They made it to the med-bay without seeing anyone, and Rogue let out a mental sigh of relief for that. She hadn't wanted to have to talk to anyone right now. Well, almost anyone.

She walked ahead of Logan as they entered the room, moving to go stand beside Thom's bed. He was making soft noises in his sleep, and she wondered if he was talking. She reached out to touch his arm. This time she'd had the foresight to grab her gloves off her dresser before leaving her room. His eyes opened almost immediately and she gave him a small smile.

"Ah said Ah'd be here when ya woke up." she said softly

He grinned back, shifting a little so that he could look at her easier. His voice was almost back to normal and his eyes perfectly clear as he said

"I was wondering if I'd been having a dream, or if you'd really come earlier. I don't get to see many pretty girls in their pajamas, and now I've gotten to see the prettiest of them all twice. I'm one lucky guy." His voice was playful and she blushed redder then an apple. She hadn't even thought about that. She crossed her arms over her chest, her blush didn't stop darkening. He laughed softly and squeezed her hand.

"Sorry, that probably wasn't the best of lines was it?" He said, his voice sounding serious, but his eyes twinkling all the more. She couldn't help but smile back.

"Naw, not really. But Ah'll let ya off tha hook this time since you're hurt. And since you saved mah life." Rogue mumbled softly, still trying to will her face to stop burning.

The amusement left his eyes instantly, replaced by anger. And it looked to Rogue as if he was fighting desperately for control.

"That is what I need to ask you about Rogue. Do you have any idea who that was? He seemed to be talking to you; did you know him?" A vein on the side of his temple was throbbing, and he took several calming breaths, his hand still gripping hers.

Rogue blinked a few times to clear her vision. For the briefest of seconds, she'd thought his skin had rippled, flashing a bright silvery green, the texture changing entirely.

_Man! _She thought, resisting the urge to rub her eyes. _Ah must be a lot more tired than Ah thought Ah was._

"Yeah, Ah know who he was. But Ah have no idea why he was after meh." Rogue said with a sigh, switching her mind back to the subject at hand and still dreading what was coming, "His name is Victor Creed, he's real crazy, and he's bothered us from time to time. Trying to cause trouble." Worry and confusion filtered into Thom's angry expression. "But don't worry," Rogue said quickly, "we brought ya here so you'd be safe. He can't get anywhere near us now." She winced inwardly as she realized she'd given him the perfect opening to ask. Sure enough, he did,

"Here? Exactly where is here?" His voice took on an even more curious tone. "At first I thought it was a hospital, but I doubt you'd come to see me in your night-cloths if it was." He continued to watch her expectantly.

" 'Here', Mr. Rodgers is the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters." Came an all-too familiar voice to Rogue as the Professor wheeled in from across the room. Hank stood behind him, a stack of papers in hand. Both teens sat up a little straighter unconsciously; even from his chair, Xavier exuded a powerful presence. "And I am Professor Charles Xavier." His voice was calm and kind as he wheeled up and stopped next to them.

"Institute for Gifted Youngsters?" Thom said; it was obvious that he was confused; he glanced at Rogue, waiting for her to say something. But she wouldn't look at him, preferring to stare at her gloved hands. So Thom looked back toward the Professor.

"Yes, though that name does not capture the true purpose of this school." The Professor paused, watching the reaction of their visitor. "We are a home and training facility for mutants." He stopped then, gauging Thom's reaction to this news. Rogue too was waiting, waiting for the explosion of anger or fear that had become so commonly coupled with the word 'mutant'.

It never came, and she peered up at him. Thom looked a little surprised, but other than that, there was no anger or fear in his features. She was so surprised and taken aback that she nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard Thom speak.

"Well then. I'm glad y'all came along when you did. Judging by these bandages, I was worse off then I'd care to admit." His voice was serious, but other than that he seemed calm. The Professor seemed a little surprised too, though pleasantly so. This was going much easier than he'd worried about.

"I'm glad that we were able to help you Thomas. And I am also very grateful for your assistance in saving Rogue. From what I've heard, we owe her safety to you."

Now Thom blushed a little, glancing over at Rogue with a smile on his face.

"I did the only thing I could do, sir. She needed help, and there's no way that I was going to let that monster carry her off." Despite the slight blush, his voice was steady and warm, and his eyes never left hers. And after a moment she smiled back at him.

"Never the less, we are in your debt. And you are welcome to stay here for as long as you are in need of care." The Professor stated.

Rogue still couldn't believe it. This couldn't be right! How could this not bother him? Had he been hit in the head a bit harder than they'd all thought?

The Professor must have been reading her mind, or he had come to the same conclusion. He leaned forward in his chair, his fingers making a steeple in front of him.

"I must say Thomas, that your reaction is not what we expected," Xavier gave Rogue a kind, knowing look "Most of those who find themselves in the company of mutants, are… less then ecstatic about it."

Thom smiled; his shoulder's rising in a slight shrug.

"Well sir, I don't think being around mutants is a problem for me." He grinned, looking thoughtful, "But then again, that might be because I'm one too."

"What!?" Both the Professor and Thom turned at Rogue's outburst. She covered her mouth, embarrassed by the volume of her own voice. But she was just so shocked!

"Ah mean…. Ummm… Well ya never said anything before….." her voice trailed off, her cheeks once again burning as she watched Thom.

"Well, as I recall, neither did you." Thom said, though there was no anger in his voice. "You are a mutant though right? If you are here in this 'mutant school' that would mean…" he too let his voice trail off, waiting.

She could only bring herself to nod.

"Well then. I must admit that I'm a bit surprised that you knew Thomas. I was under the impression that you were unaware of your mutation."

Now it was Rogue and Thom's turn to stare in surprise at Xavier. He motioned toward Hank.

"When you were brought here Thomas, Hank did a few routine blood tests as well as X-rays. It is procedure to do so when a person has been injured, we must look for any possible infections or unknown bone and tissue damage. And it became obvious to Hank that you did indeed carry the mutant gene."

At the words 'blood tests' and 'X-rays' Charles thought he saw a flicker of something pass through Thom's eyes. _Worry perhaps? Fear?_ But he couldn't be sure; it faded just as soon as it had appeared. He decided to wait until he had the boy alone before asking him about the other items he and Hank had been discussing. Though he was quite sure Hank might have an aneurism if he had to wait much longer to ask.

Charles finished with, "So that is how I came to know about your mutation. And it is why I would very much like to extend an invitation for you to join us here."

Rogue's eyes lit up at the thought, though her mind was in a blur after that last little bomb shell. Not only was Thom a mutant, the Professor had just invited him to stay!?! She didn't know what she wanted to do more, jump up and cry 'Yes!!' or fall over and faint. Then a horrible thought crossed her mind. What if he says no? She decided to just stay put for the moment. But she did turn to gauge his reaction.

He seemed to be in deep consideration over what the professor had said. His eyes were staring off into space, as if he was a million miles away. Looking at him, she couldn't help her mind from running over the events of this past month. She was so amazed at the shocking fact that he was a mutant. She had been so afraid since she'd met him that he would find out what she was and hate her for it. And now, in these few moments, all this new information was running through her mind at an extreme pace. She didn't know what to do with herself.

After a moment, his eyes seemed to clear, their focus coming back. To her surprise, he turned toward her; his face taking on a questioning look.

_Why's he lookin at me like that? _She wondered. _This ain't ma choice!_

Except he was still looking at her, as if searching for something in her eyes. She couldn't help a little smile crossing her lips, though why she was smiling she didn't have a clue. He hadn't said yes yet. But when she smiled, he seemed to find whatever he'd been seeking. An answering smile danced over his face, and he turned back to the Professor.

"Well sir. I don't know enough about you, or this place to say that I'll stay long term. But, if you'll have me, I wouldn't mind in the least given' it a chance." He reached out his un-bandaged hand to the Professor, and with a smile, the older man wheeled over and took it firmly in his own.

"I believe that is a wise decision Thomas, and I truly hope that you will come to see this as your home. After the events of yesterday, I think I can say with certainty that you will fit right in amongst the others."

Rogue was fighting, and fighting hard. At Thom's statement that he'd stay, she had almost done one of the two things she'd been considering a moment before; though she was still unsure which it would have been. She didn't want to seem like a complete idiot and do something stupid, but she couldn't help the feeling of excitement that was running through her. But worse than that was the burning blush that began to creep over it when she saw that Thom was looking at her.

_Oh great! Now he's gonna think__ that Ah'm some sorta blushing fool __that can't keep it together. Why do Ah have to be such a freak?_

Though if she had been able to read his mind at that moment, she would have been unable to find the word 'freak' in any of the thoughts he was describing her with. And her blush would have turned her the color of a plum if she had been able to see any of those thoughts.

She managed to make some of the color leave her face and tried to force herself to calm down. But that didn't mean she wasn't just as excited about these events. She wasn't able to calm the pounding of her heart. She just couldn't wait to tell the others!

As she looked at Thom, it made her feel a little better that he too was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. She didn't know it then, but he was thinking that just her reaction to him saying he'd stay was worth everything he'd been through.

They might have sat there smiling at each other until the end of time if the Professor hadn't cleared his throat, calling their attention to him. Rogue's blush returned when she saw the amused looks on the faces of both her teachers. But it wasn't enough to wipe the smile completely off her face.

"Now, I believe that you should return to your room for a few more hours of sleep Rogue." Xavier said quietly. That was the second time someone had told her to do that, and she didn't like it this time either. Though if Hank was hard to argue with the Professor was even worse. But he made a good point a moment later when he said,

"I know you would rather stay, but I'm sure that Thom needs his rest; and you do as well." His tone stated that he would hear no arguments on the subject, and Rogue's sensible side knew he was right.

Thom noticed the Professor and the blue gorilla/man in the lab coat (the one they called Hank) exchanging looks. He had a feeling that they both wanted Rogue out of the room to talk with him. He didn't know whether that was good or bad. But Hank (from what Xavier had said, he was a doctor) was looking at Thom with a look of interest and a hint of excitement.

His dormant side stirred in warning at that familiar look. Thom had seen it several times before, and it never boded well for him. He hoped that he was wrong, he didn't want to have to lie to them, but he might not have any other choice. He didn't know any of them well enough yet.

Still, he thought, it would be better talking to them along than with Rogue here. He didn't think he could even stretch the truth with her sitting there looking at him.

"Yeah, you should probably go on." Thom said cheerfully. "I promise I won't go anywhere."

She grinned at him, and then forced her features into a serious look. "Ah don't think you could go anywhere if ya tried." Her voice was mock-stern, and he smiled at her for it. He had been hoping he would be able to talk to her, learn more about her. Perhaps she'd even tell him what her mutation was. But it looked like he'd have to wait for another time on that as well.

Rogue patted his shoulder gently, giving him one last smile. "Ah'll see ya in tha morning Thom." She said softly. She nodded to the other two men in the room before making her way out. Thom saw her yawn and rub her eyes as she exited his line of sight. He let the creature's scenes fallow her as she walked down the hall and entered the elevator. He felt her steady heartbeat as she traversed a maze of hallways and passed many different doors before coming to the one she wanted. He didn't pull back until he saw her safely enter the room, close the door behind her, and slip into the waiting bed.

When he did pull back, becoming again completely aware of his surroundings in the medical bay, he realized that the Professor and doctor were watching him, both with varying degrees of curiosity on their faces.

He kept his face from turning red with embarrassment and worry, barely, and sat up a little straighter.

"Well, since y'all are still here, I guess that means we need to talk." Thom said his voice no longer as cheerful and light as it had been for Rogue's benefit. His former tone was replaced by one of a more serious kind.

"Indeed it does, Mr. Rodgers." The large ape man took a step forward, extending his huge hand. "I do not believe we have as of yet been properly introduced. My name is Doctor Hank McCoy. I am the school's resident physician."

Thom took the offered hand, noting that the man's handshake was both firm and gentle; as if he was being careful not to injure Thom's already sprained wrist. Thom found himself taking a cautious liking to him.

"Pleasure to meet you sir. And please, call me Thom. Only my grandfather goes by Mr. Rodgers, and even he hates it." He regarded him for a moment before saying, his tone a little less guarded, "I believe I have you to thank for saving my life sir, if it wasn't for you, I'm guessing that I wouldn't be here right now."

The other man smiled a big, toothy grin. "I was only doing my duty… Thom. And I'm happy to say that I was able to help you." Hank said kindly, gently releasing Thom's hand. "Though I cannot take all the credit, Jean Grey was responsible for stopping the bleeding when they were bringing you here." Thom's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise, he made a mental note to thank her when they next met.

Thom glanced back and forth between the two older men. So totally different in appearance, and yet the expressions on their faces were so similar. He didn't need to be told they were both men of science. They had discovered something that puzzled and interested them. And now they wanted to learn more about it.

Though he didn't fault them for their curiosity, he had seen that look too many times on other faces to like its implications.

"So…" Thom decided that he didn't want to wait for what he already knew was coming. "What did y'all need to talk to me about?"

He noticed that the doctor glanced toward the Professor, a questioning look in his large brown eyes. Xavier nodded slightly, gesturing for him to speak. Hank turned back to Thom, his voice soft but excited as he spoke,

"Well, as Charles…Ahhh… _Professor Xavier_ told you, I did a variety of test to ascertain your medical state when you arrived. But it was not until sometime this morning, when I was looking over the results of those tests, that I noticed a particularly remarkable phenomenon." He had to pause to take a breath then. As he did so, he reached into the stack of papers he was still carrying, and pulled out a chest X-ray sheet.

"As you can see, there is a serious difference between your arterial cavity and that of anyone I have ever before seen or heard about. It was such an amazing discovery, that at first, I was not sure if I was truly seeing it for what it is." His voice had gone from excited scientist, to amazement as he spoke. "It does not seem as something that would happen when your mutation surfaced. I wished to know if you were aware of this…condition. Though I cannot see how you could not be."

Thom looked over the familiar picture. He was indeed quite aware of what lay beating in his chest. Yet he studied the image with great care before speaking, trying to decide how best to go about what he had to say. As he'd been thinking before, he didn't want to have to lie to these men. He hated that, and it went against everything he had been taught, and everything his people had stood for, for generations. He resolved to tell them as much of the truth as possible, and just try to leave out the…dangerous… parts.

"Yes sir. I'm aware of it. It's hard not to notice that you have two hearts. You're right though, it didn't happen as a result of my mutation. I was born like that." He stated this so matter-of-factly, that it seemed as if he thought it was normal. But if the consideration that this was a mutation had amazed the doctor, the fact that it wasn't shocked him even more.

Charles had to catch himself before a chuckle could escape him at the sight of Hank's flabbergasted expression; though he too was surprised at both Thom's condition, and his reaction to it. The good doctor's face was almost too funny to look at.

Thom was also trying hard to cover a laugh as he watched the reaction of the once very self-possessed man in front of him.

"Well…umm…I…" Hank stuttered, for once at a loss for words. He quickly regained his composure, tidying the stack of papers in his grip. "As I said before, it is a most interesting case. If you would not mind Thom, I would like to run a few more test while you are incapacitated; all with your permission of course."

Thom put on a neutral expression, hiding the frown that threatened to cover his features. This was what he was worried about. What the others had warned him of. He had kept his identity well concealed for so long, but he knew there was a possibility of the doctor finding it if he was looking too much. But some deep and buried instinct within him said that he could trust these people; that if he could have confidence in anyone it would be them. And he couldn't just leave, not after what they'd done for him.

Not to mention the fact that he'd be hurting Rogue if he did.

_**Don't do itssssss!**_A voice long ignored whispered in his mind's ear. _**You can't trussssst any of thessssse. **_

_Right, now you're telling me this? I'm in the middle of them now, I can't leave_. Thom thought back fiercely.

_**Yessss!! Leave them! Now, get out. Out! Can't trusssst them**_. It snarled back.

_What, you'd have me leave her too?_ He said, trying desperately to keep his calm. _Is that what you want?_

The angry creature simmered down again, knowing it had been beaten. It wouldn't leave what it had claimed as its own treasure, any more then Thom was going to leave Rogue.

When he was sure he could speak again, without any anger showing in his voice, he said in the most cheerfully nonchalant tone he could,"Sure. I don't see why not."

Hank nodded with a smile, glad that the boy was willing.

The Professor on the other hand was troubled. Unlike Hank, he didn't think Thom's pause had anything to do with the question he had been asked. He had seen a strange look pass over Thom's face, and for a moment he seemed to have been in a different place. He had not been reading the boy at the time, but now, he almost wished he had been. For the briefest moment, Charles had though he felt the presence of another in the room. He wanted to know where that had come from.

"Wonderful! I am glad that you find no objection in it." Said Hank happily, blissfully unaware of the worry going through his friend and co-worker's mind. "But, now is not the time for such things. I think it best that you rest Thom. You are still in serious condition, and right now the best medicine is sleep."

"I agree." The Professor's voice rang out softly, yet forcefully as he and Hank began to leave. "There will be plenty of time for us to talk tomorrow if you are feeling up to it Thom. Until then, I believe Hank is right, you need your rest." He didn't admit that he wanted time to reflect on what he had thought he'd felt.

"Alright Professor." Thom's voice did indicate a great weariness, and he was very glad that their interview was over. "I think I will try and sleep for a bit, I am kinda tired." His voice began to fade out, and before he could even completely finish speaking, he had drifted off.

A kind and knowing smile passed between the two men as they left the medical bay. Hank said a quick goodnight to Charles with a yawn, his exhaustion finally catching up to him. Charles returned the sentiment as he too headed off to his room. But as soon as his friend was out of sight, the worried frown once again settled on the man's gentle features.

* * *

Ok, I've had that one written for a while, but I wanted to add more to it. But everything has been so busy lately that I haven't had the chance. I don't want y'all hating me for not updating, so I'm posting this now. :)


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